Steve Lantner Quartet: "Given - Live in Muenster" on Hatology

Given – Live In Muenster, is the Steve Lantner Quartet’s second effort. Its sax-piano-bass-drums line-up invites weight against the measure of classic albums like Misterioso, Black Fire, Giant Steps, and Saxophone Colossus on the one hand, and thousands of rote quartet recordings on the other. Lantner’s contribution falls on the right end of the spectrum by doing exactly what a jazz album must in order to justify its carbon footprint in the 21st Century; it presents a vivid impression of a singular musician with a strong band moving the music forward. Or as Lantner puts it, “I am trying to play jazz music in a language that I think is a natural evolution past tonal/modal sensibilities.” --Bill Meyer