Guitarist Liberty Ellman creates a warm and flexible band, employing both Stephan Crump’s bass and Jose Davila’s tuba as foundations along with drummer Damon Reid to serve the variant rhythms. The front line of Ellman, Steve Lehman/as, Jonathan Finlayson/tp and Davila’s trombone. The team bounces freely on pieces like the funky “Supercell” as the staccato horns work well with Ellman’s guitar, while the leader gets a bit edgy on the dials as he ruminates on “Furthermore.” The Lehman and Davila merrily skip along on “Rhinocerisms” and Reid’s cymbals do the talking on a free form quickie “Moment Twice.” The team gets a bit angular with alto and guitar in the front lines on “Skeletope” and Crump enjoys his moment in the sun on the gently driving “Vibrograph.” Elastic workings in abundance here, with a sharp display of the guitar in many a milieu.
Pi Recordings