Antonio Sanchez: Migration

Few young musicians have enough juice to attract both pianist Chick Corea and guitarist Pat Metheny to their debut release. Drummer Antonio Sanchez shows how with extraordinary artistry combined with exceptional technique on Migration. Saxophonists Chris Potter and David Sanchez can unquestionably blow bop and, along with bassist Scott Colley, they supply the necessary musicianship and creativity that nails this session. Sanchez has been Metheny's drummer of choice for several years and Colley is likewise not new to this rarefied air having extensive ties to guitarist Jim Hall.

While both Corea and Metheny's contributions are Latin-tinged they are texturally dissimilar. Corea's "One for Antonio" is sans saxophones, making for an intimate yet rhythmically exciting piano trio while Metheny's "Arena (Sand)" invites the twin-tenored quartet to partake in a powerful multi-part ballad that develops into a thrillingly-voiced opus. The danger here of course is that these two heavyweights could overshadow the session's core but amazingly don't.

Potter moves between tenor and soprano and uses the latter with Colley's bass to add delicate color to the touchingly original "Ballade." Both saxophonists are individually able to blow up a storm or play in briskly precise tandem on the hard-bopping "Did You Get It?" as well as the modal "Challenge Within." The remaining originals are mixed in with a free-formish take on saxophonist Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge," and Metheny and Sanchez morph Miles' "Solar" into a phenomenal duet for a jaw-dropping closer. Sanchez' drumming is striking throughout, creating deeply textured multi-rhythmic landscapes that give the illusion that he is not alone behind his set.

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