David Kikoski Combinations

The exceptional language and broad range of expressiveness of London-born, New York-based saxophonist Wayne Escoffery can be reported as sagacious and enthralling. He has been using his bright ideas, frequently colored by a blazing timbre, not only to pump up works from Mingus Orchestra and Mingus Big Band, Eric Reed, and Tom Harrell Quintet, but also to bring his own albums into life, usually delivered in quartet or quintet formats. A former protégé of Jackie McLean, Escoffery gathers a deluxe quartet for his new album, "Vortex", his third Sunnyside release. To give wings to a collection of nine marvelous compositions, the saxophonist summoned the creditable pianist Dave Kikoski, the reliable bassist Ugonna Okegwo, and the vibrant drummer Ralph Peterson.