Shawn Maxwell: Story At Eleven

On his 11th release, the aptly titled Story At Eleven, saxophonist and composer Shawn Maxwell leads his quartet through a four-part, cinematic suite. Utilizing electric instrumentation Maxwell endows the ambiance with a noirish undercurrent. The expansive pieces, thanks to Maxwell's writing, demonstrate ensemble cohesiveness without sacrificing the individual voices of the four musicians.

Keyboardist Collin Clauson's hypnotic cascades and drummer Greg Essig's dark rustles open "Appointment With" with delightful intrigue. Maxwell's muscular and serpentine alto then sets the main theme. The simmering exchanges within the band climax to a brief and riotous repartee after which Clauson takes center stage with a suave performance. Bassist Michael Barton contributes a subtle swagger with his electrified lines. Maxwell improvises with raw passion and lyricism before ushering in the concluding head.

A similarly expectant atmosphere permeates "Internal Rift." After Essig's unaccompanied reverberating beats set the mood he and his colleagues play the tune with dramatic flair. Clauson lays down a lush sonic tapestry with his vibrant keys. Over the rhythm section's angular vamps Maxwell lets loose a crystalline soliloquy made up of short, poignant phrases and crisp staccato notes. Maxwell then leads a collective extemporization with fiery abandon flirting at times with dissonance.

Barton bisects the soulful "Near Surrender" with an eloquent and incandescent improvisation. The group then builds up the tension with its contemplative refrains. After Barton, Maxwell lets loose a fervent and free-flowing melody that Essig follows with a breathtakingly agile and thunderous solo.

With each new addition to his discography Maxwell finds different ways to express his creative vision. Story At Eleven is no exception. This album is distinct from the previous ones yet Maxwell has marked it with his inimitable style, making it an integral part of his overall body of work.

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