The 19 selections on this colorful set are free improvisations. The cornet-tenor-tuba-drums quartet sometimes engages in swinging free bop (as on "Slips") but much of the time is actually involved in sound explorations and rather random interplay. The one non-Chicagoan, European tuba player Marc Unternahrer, is particularly skillful and versatile, displaying a wide range of tonal distortions and operating both as a member of the rhythm section and frequently as one of the lead voices. Cornetist
Josh Berman and tenor-saxophonist Keefe Jackson work well off each other while drummer
Frank Rosaly is mostly very much in the background. All of that said, because of the very spontaneous nature of this music, not everything works and there are stretches that are a bit tedious before inspiration (and good luck) strikes again. It is worth a few listens as long as listeners are patient and tolerant. ~ Scott Yanow