Marty Ehrlich: Line on Love

The alto line of “Like I Said” is very palpable, displaced by piano and drums and then returning to straddle the tension between melodic and free. The title piece, reprised here from Malinke’s Dance (Omnitone), longingly pleads through an extended intro to set up a mood. Tension builds through vibrato until a melody emerges and the piano solos with a classical feel. Ehrlich soars on sax as he tries and succeeds to get a “Line on Love.” “Julian’s Theme” follows, moving up-tempo with its catchy melody and ever-present rich alto tone.

Alto and cymbal traverse many registers on “Turn Circle and Spin” until the piano hesitatingly enters the fray and a lovely melody is found and explored by Formanek’s bass. A rock-like rhythm is set up to provide the heat that Ehrlich powerfully rails against on the short but steamy “St. Louis Summer.” The two bass clarinet pieces are as different as their titles suggest. While “Solace” features a lonely bass clarinet solo that string bass mirrors with intentional imperfection, “The Git Go” has Ehrlich using his instrument’s range to mimic sax but then surprise with a sliding note that doesn’t stop where you expect. With his lush dark tone Ehrlich communicates the desire contained within his Line on Love.