Alto saxophonist John O’Gallagher displays some mighty impressive goods here, despite a somewhat sparse discography consisting of dates with the late Joe Henderson, Bob Belden, and a few others. The leaders aligns his wares with tenor sax titan, Tony Malaby along with veteran jazz drummer Jeff Williams and first call session ace, bassist John Hebert. On the opener “Golden Ruby,” the sax duo executes Coltrane-like, soul-searching lines amid bluesy lyricism, followed by concisely stated unison choruses. In addition, everyone gets a chance to stretch their faculties here and throughout. Many of these works feature high impact type movements augmented by poignant interludes and the band’s altogether clear-sighted sense of direction. Besides all of the improvisational connotations, the musicians get to the point, without veering off into anything that may seem superfluous in scope. Many of O’Gallagher’s compositions are built upon linearly rendered themes and memorable hooks. As they often embark upon a milieu that seems conducive for deconstructing and breathing new life into previously rendered concepts. The quartet manages to sneak in a funk drenched bop groove during “Homunculus,” yet the brunt of this effort is firmly rooted within the modern jazz vernacular. Recommended…

Cadence

Track listing: 1.Golden Ruby 2.Hydraulics 3.Things Have Changed 4.Plain Air 5.Triple F 6.Homunculus 7.Gravity 8.Indonesian Folk Song 9.Song

Personnel: John O’Gallagher: alto sax – Tony Malaby: tenor sax – John Hebert: bass – Jeff Williams: drums

Style: Modern Jazz
Published: October 11, 2002

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