Chris Cody Coalition: Conscript

Conscript, from expatriate Australian pianist/composer Chris Cody and his ensemble Coalition, is as politically correct as it could be.

A classically trained pianist, Cody's musical versatility has found expression in a wide variety of work situations, from theatrical music productions to television and jazz festivals, playing with top liners such as James Morrison and Don Burrows in Australia and with Antonio Hart, Herb Geller, Frank Lacy and Roy Hargrove in the USA.

Cody is well-recognized in Australian and French jazz music circles as a leader who can muster together a notable band of first call musicians. His past gigs at the Side on Café for the Sydney Improvised Music Association were inspirational, drawing high praise from the harshest of critics.

Conscript is smattered with arpeggio swirls as Cody delivers some of his finest compositional and improvisational work to date. You need not be a fan to appreciate the title track, which is an introduction to a band that performs, with military precision, the sometimes awkward and difficult extended thematic variations that Cody presents.

Glenn Ferris' distinctive trombone sound dominates and is a highlight of the album, but at times there is too much Ferris and not enough of Cody. Bruno Rousselet's bass is gentle and contemplative, while drummer Laurent Robin persistently impresses with an inherent understanding of what Cody has in his command.

Cody has assembled a band of Herbie Hancock proportions; one that is capable of conquering the toughest musical battlefield. So why does he live in Paris? A recording of this quality is possibly reason enough.