Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Adam Lane Quartet: Fo(u)r Being(s)

Adam Lane Quartet: Fo(u)r Being(s)

By Glenn Astarita
November 20, 2002
View read count

With this release, bassist Adam Lane and his all-star band perpetuate a series of frothy grooves spanning free-bop, a jazz waltz and vigorous improvisational forays. Here, drummer Barry Altschul and Lane provide the often tumultuous rhythms. A rather gleeful in-your-face approach it is, no doubt about it.

Saxophonist John Tchicai and trumpeter Paul Smoker ride atop pulsating swing beats and rollicking pulses with pungent unison choruses. In addition, the soloists perform as though some sort of spiritualized trance overcame them. Lane's quartet provide a multidimensional program, bursting with heated exchanges and climactically oriented motifs. On "Without Being," Smoker improvises atop the rhythm section's swirling undercurrents. The band is afforded optimum solo space throughout this superb outing. To that end, Lane&'s quartet supplies added credence to notions of how exciting modern jazz can be, especially when communicated through the hearts and minds of four masters.

Track Listing

Intonations for Being; In the center of the earth, looking for Mike ; House of Elegant; Without Being; It happened to us naturally; The Band Is.

Personnel

Adam Lane

bass, acoustic

Adam Lane: bass; John Tchicai: tenor saxophone, vocals; Paul Smoker: trumpet; Barry Altschul: drums.

Album information

Title: Fo(u)r Being(s) | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: CIMP Records

About Adam Lane

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Be Bop Big Band
< Previous

Passion Grace & Fire
Next >

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.