David Liebman & The CNY Jazz Orchestra: If a White Horse from Jerusalem...

The four-movement suite If a White Horse from Jerusalem..., performed on this splendid album by soprano saxophonist David Liebman and the CNY (Central New York) Jazz Orchestra, was inspired by the works of Israeli writer, poet and playwright Ada Aharoni, commissioned by Syracuse University, orchestrated by Bret Zvacek and had its world premiere in 2011, after which Liebman suggested that it be recorded. Now, thirteen years after that event, the CNY has made it happen, with Liebman again serving as guest artist.

According to its commission, If a White Horse from Jerusalem... is "a multi-movement long-form piece for woodwind soloist and jazz orchestra incorporating scalar, rhythmic and harmonic material from both Jewish and Arab traditions, historic and modern...to explore and resolve them." The suite is supplemented on the recording by a pair of originals—Lou Marini's charming "Starmaker" and John Jeanneret's playful "Hip-Hop Shuffle"—and the standards "Somewhere" (from the musical West Side Story) and Rodgers and Hart's wistful ballad, "Where or When," each of which serves to enhance its freshness and charm.

As to the suite itself, it is invariably engaging—melodically, harmonically and rhythmically—and quite often surprisingly contemporary in a big-band sense, while Liebman is as innovative and eloquent as ever, shifting comfortably into whatever setting the music demands and soloing brilliantly whenever his singular talents are required. There is no "Israeli" or "Arab" dialect fueling Zvacek's awesome charts, only big-band jazz of the highest caliber—which is true as well for the remaining numbers, arranged by Zvacek and performed without Liebman by the superb CNY Orchestra. While soloists there are not named, every one of them is sharp and well-spoken, while the ensemble is beyond reproach.

Do not be dissuaded by the suite's arcane titles; once past them, this is earnest and powerful big-band jazz, marvelously performed by the stellar CNY Orchestra and its virtuosic guest artist, David Liebman.