The classically attuned sax ensemble PRISM Quartet breaks new ground with this recent release that brings in a handful of modern jazz guests for some extra spice and flavor. The PRISM team of Timothy McAllister/ss, Taimur Sullivan/bari, Matthew Levy/ts and Zachary Shemon/as, all impressive on their own right, bring in new wine for their wineskins with artists Melissa Aldana/ts, Tim Ries/ts, Miguel Zenon/as and ringer Terrell Stafford/tp
Trumpeter Stafford makes his presence heard and felt on the bright and bold intro to his swaggering “Favor” having him and Aldana sway to the Gershwinish theme. Zenon is lonely and lovely as he glides through the textured PRISM reeds on “Send In The Clowns” and joins with Ries for a breathy and blue soft swing of “Found”. A five-part “Reflections” suite by Aldana, has the tenor star join in with the quartet for lyrical and richly melodic pieces by poets Julio Cortazar, Pablo Neruda and Jose Marti. The reeds are elegiac for “Resumen de Otono”, with an Old World feel exuded on the lower register puffs on “El Atadecer” and elegant “Una Carta de Amor”. Aldan blows a blue hue with McAllister climbing out of the thick velvety harmonies on “Un Breve Amor” as the mix of arrangement and free expression works to perfection. A palpable mixture of worlds and sounds of long ago and present.
www.prismquartet.com/recording/he3