Stephen Arnold & Sea Change: The Hitting Wall

Although is difficult to pinpoint the precise thread that ties them together, bassist and composer Stephen Arnold envisions the 14 songs of The Hitting Wall as a suite, albeit one whose parts are at times more divergent than complementary, compositionally and in terms of groove.

Arnold leads an able sextet whose horn section is comprised of trumpeter Brandon Woody and tenor saxophonist Brian Settles, with guitarist Nelson Dougherty, pianist Federico Pena and drummer Keith Butler Jr in the rhythm section. The full ensemble is present on all save five numbers. Arnold's unaccompanied bass renders the title song in two versions, which open and close the session; and provides introductions to "Re: Vision" and "The Root," which showcase Pena's piano and Arnold's solo bass, respectively. A reprise of "Change of the Season" becomes a vehicle for Pena's lithe and graceful piano.

On the front line, Settles' smooth solo tenor is heard most often, while Woody's bold and emphatic trumpet is featured near the end of the album on "I Won't Let You Down" and "Older Brother/Younger Brother," on which Pena and Daugherty also solo. Arnold wrote or co-wrote every number and arranged all of them. He surely had a plan in mind, yet the suite presents a set of songs that feels surprisingly disparate.

Setting aside the premise, what remains is a thoughtful yet uneven studio date whose highs and lows level the balance.