The Bennie Maupin Ensemble: Penumbra

Maupin plays five instruments along with a bassist, a drummer and a percussionist, all of whom fit in just nicely and elevate his music, which is spare, open, spacious and often unhurried. His arrangements are little nuggets of invention. He builds "Penumbra on a sparse dialogue between Darek "Oles Oleszkiewicz's bass and Daryl Munyungo Jackson's percussion. Their quiet eloquence is raised when Maupin joins in on alto flute and Michael Stephans inflects accents on the cymbals. Maupin creates a soft sheen that's resplendent in its conception, flowing in quiet majesty.

The mood sweeps upbeat on "See the Positive. The rhythm section flexes a jumpy pulse which Maupin extends with a mellifluent air on soprano sax, wallowing in the melody and injecting it with sprightly verve. When Maupin wrote a "Message to Prez, he gave himself room to manoeuvre. A fissiparous opening where figures form and dissipate moves into a pronounced melodic body injected with sinew. The rhythm section brings in interesting contrasts: Oleszkiewicz keeps the beat pegged on the bass, while Jackson uses the shakers to swish across the lines of the bass clarinet.

A welcome return from Maupin.