Ruier Compass

Susanne Abbuehl startled listeners in 2001 with her debut release, April, in which she took on the poems of e.e. cummings, and created lyrics for a Carla Bley composition. A studied and original vocalist – she worked with Jeanne Lee – she is also a solid composer. Her aesthetic and restrained approach lend themselves easily to Manfred Eicher's production M.O. On Compass, Abbuehl and her band, which features the wonderful clarinetist Christoph May, dig deep into the words of James Joyce, William Carlos Williams, and the music of Sun Ra and Chick Corea. The project is once more refined and mannered yet utterly ambitious beginning with her original composition "Bathyal."

Recorded live at Compass Point Hotel in the Bahamas in 1997, this double-disc album features legendary jazz drummer Billy Cobham performing with his quartet. Backing Cobham here are guitarist Carl Orr, bassist Stefan Rademacher, and keyboardist Gary Husband. This is highly engaging fusion and post-bop-influenced jazz.

The AHA! Quintet combines the forces of Steve Houghton's old friends Bob Sheppard and Clay Jenkins with his current trio partners Steve Allee and Jeremy Allen. This musical reunion, featuring high-powered horn artistry and a propulsive rhythm section, resulted in their new CD, Freespace. Pianist Steve Allee's original music melds hard-swinging post-bop and energetic contemporary jazz with the subtle intricacies of the piano trio. The musical chemistry and deep friendships come through loud and clear.