The saxes of Samuel Blais and David Liebman gently meld and collide as they co-lead a quartet with Morgan Moore/b and Martin Auguste/dr through a collection of (mostly) originals. Blais switches between bari, alto and soprano throughout and Liebman goes from tenor to soprano, resulting in some flavorful sauces. When bari and tenor meet, the palpable thickness on the post bop “Chli-Bli” or brooding “Return to Napanoch” coalesces and expands, and when the two team up for soprano work, they float like ethereal clouds on the soft “Et Voit le Jour.” They show their bop chops with the nimble and flexible rhythm team that keeps things together on the title track and do some clever stop and starts on the herky jerky ride “The Crusher.” Tone is a big factor here, and both reeds sound fresh and flavorful, not requiring a chordal instrument to fall back on. Flexible and fun.
Effendi Records