Hymn

Better known as a big band and session player, tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Bob Mintzer expanded his playing and his repertoire on this '90 quartet date. Working with guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Marc Johnson, and drummer Peter Erskine, Mintzer moved into more probing, unpredictable, and challenging areas and played with more fire and conviction. Abercrombie, Johnson, and Erskine each fulfilled their reputations; the results were both enlightening and surprising.

New York-bred and Denmark-based saxophonist, Marc Bernstein, has built a rich recording catalog over the last 20 years, centering projects around inspiring musical voices and friends including Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, and David Kikoski. For the eight originals, along with a version of Windmills of Your Mind, making up Hymn for Life, Bernstein focused on the 'Good People' around him and in particular, the mesmerizing vocalist Sinne Eeg, his former student, now colleague at the The Southern Danish Conservatory and Denmark's most prominent jazz vocalist.

Sky Architect’s A Dying Man's Hymn is modern trip into psychedelic music. It is complete with extended jams, long songs, keyboards, and meandering instrumentals. Many of these qualities might give the impression that this album lacks focus. However, Sky Architect is able to pull these elements together (with a few others thrown into the mix), and create a truly captivating album.