Bassist Morten Haxhold leads a team that spotlights guitarist Jonathan Kriesberg as well as bandmates Frederick Menzis/ts and Ari Hoenig/dr on this collection of post bop originals and treatments of standards. Menzis’ tenor is firm and confident on the lovely rendition of “Out of Nowhere” and the trickily metric “Giacometti” which has the band setting up an obstacle course for which the sax and guitar jump leap and veer around. A few of the tunes are trio works, and actually serve as a highlight, with Kreisberg’s suave lines working well on a rocking “Night and Day” as well as a ruminating “Unseen.” A nice mix of relaxed spaciousness and assertive energy.
Storyville Records