Keyboardist Ricardo Fassi wrote and arranged all of the material on this very impressive outing that features a hard working septet. The band, featuring a front line of Alex Sipiagin/tp, Dave Binney/as, Gary Smulyan/bs and Andy Hunter/tb gives hint of late period Miles Davis (“Random Sequencer”) but also some Mingusy driving hard bop (“Shuffle Bone”) that has some nice sparring between the horn players. The rhythm team of Fassi, Essiet Essiet/b and Antonio Sanchez/dr can create moods that are mysterious without being subversive (“Twelve Mirrors”) as well as getting bluesy and graceful (“The Hawk”). Fassi himself has a warm touch , floating on “Berlin” and musing quite contemplatively on his solo “Sitting in a Song.” Lots to like here-fresh, stimulating, melodious. Hey no cacophony! What a concept!!!!
Alice Records