This set by Loose Wig features the quartet (tenor-saxophonist Ben Fajen, guitarist Mike Abraham, bassist Sam Bevan and drummer Bryan Bowman) performing nine originals at Berkeley’s Jazz School. All four of the musicians have important roles in the music with the episodic tunes and the intuitive but logical improvisations inspiring each of them to stay very alert. The tightness of the group (Abraham and Bevan in particular seem to think as one) is impressive.

Loose Wig always swings even when the chord changes are complex, and the individual solos are consistently outstanding. Bassist Bevan has a strong spot on “Presque Vu,” guitarist Abraham’s statements are constantly full of surprises, Fajen puts plenty of feeling into the melancholy jazz waltz “Now’s Not The Time” (hinting a bit at Warne Marsh’s tone), and Bowman’s understated drumming should not be overlooked. They have plenty of opportunities to stretch out, particularly on the ten-minute “Blues (In 5)” which, quite typically, is not a blues. All of the chord changes on this program are original and the post bop music is generally difficult to categorize as anything but high-quality modern jazz.

A play-by-play analysis is unnecessary. Suffice it to say that Live At The Jazz School will satisfy lovers of creative jazz.

Scott Yanow
(Review written for L.A. Jazz Scene magazine —
Scott has written ten books, including The Jazz Singers, Jazz On Film and Jazz On Record 1917-76)
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Play music- and the envelope of love is mailed, visavie the network of poetic reference of modulations in tonal realms and rythmic subtusions of human delight as we know it to transend and engage the aural magnanamus aspect of living fully stimulated by the wave cakes of cultivated sound.
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