BARI-ed Alive: Put It There

In an era teeming with standard horn sections and predictable lineups, BARI-ed Alive's Put It There stands out as a bold and sonorous declaration of individuality. The sextet's audacious choice to feature three baritone saxophones—masterfully played by Alex Dean, Shirantha Beddage, and Chris Gale—creates a sound that is muscular, bottom-heavy, and perhaps surprisingly buoyant. Rounded out by Jeff McLeod on the Hammond B-3 organ, Andrew Scott on guitar, and Morgan Childs on drums, this group knows how to have fun while maintaining sharp musical precision.

The album kicks off with an Alex Dean original, "Abraca-Pocus," one of four compositions written by him. It is a swaggering piece that sets the tone with a bluesy charm and an unrelenting groove. The three saxophonists weave in and out of unison passages and punchy counterpoint, with each player retaining their distinct voice. McLeod offers swirling organ lines, while Scott's comping injects buoyancy. "Baritone Boogaloo," also by Dean, is a touchstone in groove and economy. It is full of unison playing, syncopated swagger, and blistering horn lines. McLeod and Scott take standout solos here, both phrased with rhythmic clarity and blues-soaked accents. The centerpiece of the release is another Dean gem, "Blues for Owl," which clocks in at close to twelve minutes. In this twelve-bar blues opus, Dean has slowed down the tempo and gives space to his melodic sensibilities. His writing shows a strong understanding of the baritone's capacity for warmth, and the solos by Dean, Beddage and Gale are models of restraint and soulful inflection.

Beddage's contribution is "Turrentrane," a clever hybrid of Stanley Turrentine grit and John Coltrane-esque modal momentum. It is an energizing performance, filled with rhythmic drive and harmonic density. Gale's offering is "Yamp," a playful, ambiguous term that perfectly suits a tune with a slightly off-kilter funk built on a syncopated groove and a quirky descending motif. Gale has created a framework that leaves space for surprises -angular bari riffs, unexpected rhythmic shifts and sly harmonic turns. The title track, "Put It There," is by Andrew Scott, and it anchors the album both thematically and sonically. The phrase "Put It There" is used as a gesture of goodwill, encapsulating the spirit of the ensemble: mutual respect, musical generosity, and shared joy. The writing is concise, but it's loaded with subtle harmonic touches. The number serves as a microcosm of the album's larger message: jazz rooted in tradition but not bound by it.

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