Terry Clarke: It's About Time

Three tunes are with a trio, while the other four feature a quartet. That balance may have something to do with Clarke's playful imagination, but more certain is the underlying character that the musicians bring. Clarke should know: he has played with all of them before.

The music, recorded at the Toronto Science Centre and Montreal Jazz Festival, starts off with the rhythmically intense "Feel Free." Harmonically driven by guitarist Jim Hall and tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano , it flirts with free structure as Lovano forges on, his broad phrases jumping out fast and edgy. Hall is the cog, reining in with chord clusters and single note runs. Clarke's percussive drive and bassist Greg Osby, who imbues a beautiful warmth as fleeting lines flirt with the melody and then arch into a deep caress. Clarke's brushes are at the center, as is the bass' pliant call. It is not only a succinct take on the Duke Ellington standard, it is also poetry in motion.

Tenor saxophonist Phil Dwyer stirs up a storm on his exuberant composition, "Flanders Road." His tone is resolute in its search for adventure as he punctures the air with brawny lines that change trajectory but neither flag nor falter. Thompson shows his consummate power as he isolates the melody and then plays around with it. On his own he's a dynamo, but as part of the trio, he invests the whole with a sense of belonging.