The catalogue of tenor saxist JD Allen has shown an intriguing trajectory. It has appeared that with each subsequent album, Allen has focused more and more on tone, delving into the territory of the fog of Ben Webster, with the supporting music taking a truly supportive and spartan role as Allen’s sound comes to the spotlight. This latest album leaves no doubt of that direction, as Allen has eschewed any other instrumentation than his breathy saxophone. He includes four standards along with his own succinct compositional excursions, with the whole album coming off like a sonic breeze of linen drapes.
His sound is big, and it fills the room, using silence as a sound on “Three Little Words” and “Just A Gigilo”. He dose few rapid runs on “Vernetta”, leaps into subtones on the title track, and goes bel canto on “Gem and Eye”. His vibrato resonates throughout, most notably during the lyrical “O.T.R” with nary a cacophony. His blues are dark with wide brush strokes on “Retrograde” and his change in dynamics on the patterned “Mother” is literally breath taking. Play this alongside Steve Lacy’s soprano solo work and see what monastic jazz can do for the soul.