Alto and tenor saxophonist
Ernest Dawkins'
New Horizons Ensemble is constantly full of surprises on
Mean Ameen, a tribute to the late trumpeter Ameen Muhammad. While "3-D" is a bit reminiscent of the free bop of
Ornette Coleman's
Free Jazz,
Dawkins' tenor sometimes hints at
Archie Shepp, "Haiti" sounds like the "small instruments" explorations of
the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and "The Messenger" is an excellent tribute to
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. These musicians are clearly talented in several styles, play with open minds, and react quickly to each other's ideas. The exciting closer, "Buster and the Search for the Human Genome," wraps up a superior outing of colorful and explorative yet surprisingly accessible jazz. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow