Lehman

Saxophonist Steve Lehman digs in with drummer Pheeroan akLaff and bassist Mark Dresser in a highly exploratory program. Movement and evolution are the hallmarks of Lehman's compositions, and that is illustrated here by his rearrangement of two pieces: one from each of his previous outings – the opener, "Structural Fire" from the 2001 album of the same name, and "Rison," from Camoflage, issued in 2002.

Demian as Posthuman is saxophonist Steve Lehman’s most experimental release to date. With a solid acoustic quintet record, Artificial Light, and trio release, Interface, under his belt, Lehman is also one-third of the collaborative trio Fieldwork, whose Simulated Progress is easily one of 2005’s best jazz releases. Lehman has upped the ante on this album, which dispenses with typical notions of jazz and popular music by combining the two in an effort to document the creation of a new, hybrid music.

Steve Lehman's reputation as one of the rising stars in modern creative jazz is well founded and realized in this potent CD of original music played with his handpicked octet. It's a democratic ensemble that occasionally allows for single-minded excursions or outbursts within a framework of music that mixes improvisation with certain specific cues and motifs. The music certainly owns a mercurial foundation where each member listens and plays accordingly, but there's a strong curiosity and identity that Lehman establishes, based on the influence of his heroes and peers.

Decoding the music of saxophonist Steve Lehman has become a diversion for many a jazz listener (and critic). Sometimes composed with the help of programming software, his harmonies are meshed with mercurial rhythms. When played by his octet, his music gives the impression that it requires a scorecard to keep tabs on its perplexing complexities. With Dialect Fluorescent, Steve Lehman, together with Matt Brewer and Damion Reid, creates a powerful new musical dialect, one that is explicitly future-minded, but still deeply-rooted in the standard language and legacy of jazz.