Criss Cross Jazz

The brainchild of producer Gerry Teekens, United Soul Experience extricates trombonist Wycliffe Gordon from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra orbit and teams him with some of the most interesting young talent in the Criss Cross stable. Tradition-minded but not predictable, the music alludes to several jazz and funk styles without settling into any one of them. Gordon, tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, and pianist David Kikoski play like accomplished young veterans who continue to search for something more. Bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Bill Stewart generate a circuitous kind of swing, stating a pulse and deconstructing it in the same instance. The leader’s five compositions evince memorable melodies and impose just the right amount of organization to the band’s loose-jointed execution.

Lifted Land, David Binney's sixth recording for Criss Cross, is also his third wholly original program for the label. One of the most gripping and distinctive alto players and composers of his generation, Binney leads a powerfully expressive quartet with longtime allies Craig Taborn on piano and Eivind Opsvik on bass. Drummer Tyshawn Sorey, an acclaimed leader and composer in his own right, makes his first Criss Cross appearance here, in place of Binney?s go-to drummer for previous releases, Dan Weiss. Binney's tunes are anthemic, evocative, highly precise and finely crafted and yet prepared to venture into the freest abstract terrain.

For his fourth Criss Cross leader date, alto saxophonist-composer David Binney convenes his primary New York working quartet of the 2000s (pianist Jacob Sacks, bassist Eivind Opsvik, and drummer Dan Weiss), adds to the mix guitar hero Wayne Krantz, with whom he works frequently in an electronica-oriented group, and augments the proceedings with several appearances by British pianist-composer John Escreet, a frequent partner in recent years. The leader plays with deep emotion and the concision of an old master; it's as strong a date as any in Binney's now sizable discography.

Already possessing a very distinctive tenor sax sound, Javon Jackson's debut as a leader is an exceptional effort. Jackson, 26 at the time of the recording, joined forces with 40-year-old James Williams, 19-year-old Christian McBride and 64-year-old Elvin Jones to create a powerful musical statement that bridges the generations. "Mr. Jones" refers to the master drummer, whose presence and energy are felt throughout the recording, especially on the medium swingers "The Masquerade Is Over" and Williams' "A Certain Attitude," as well as on the title track and "Theme for Penny," two uptempo Jackson originals that begin with brief drum solos. Also making his presence felt is McBride, whose tone, time, and imagination belie his age. One of 1992's best releases.

Time and the Infinite pares things back to a trio, and while there are still four Rogers compositions, the majority of the disc is focused on workouts of standards from Cole Porter, Charlie Parker, George Gershwin and others. But anyone who knows Rogers knows that even the most well-worn tune is going to be approached with invention. While Rogers never loses site of the core of tunes like "Night and Day" and "I Loves You Porgy," his re-harmonization and addition of metric complexities keep them modern and relevant.