Teamed with the formidable Ravi Coltrane on tenor and sopranino sax, trumpeter Ralph Alessi leads a quintet with Andy Milne, Drew Gress/b and Mark Ferber/dr through an intuitive and sepia-toned mood.
Alessi is particularly elegiac on “Good Boy,” but he also creates some heartfelt gasps with ominous piano work on a hazy “Pittance” while he and Coltrane build up after Milne’s rich chords on a misty “Iram Issela.” Coltrane and Elessi brightly glide through the nimble pocket on “Improper Authorities” and the two drive and deeply dig into Ferber’s cymbal rivulet on “Melee.” Ferber creates sparks on his intro to “Fun Room” and Alessi rides it like a long boarder. Rich charcoal sketches.
ECM Records