Altoist
Aaron Irwin's
Into the Light is a particularly intriguing set. On some selections Ryan Scott's guitar sounds a bit like
Bill Frisell (no easy task), making the group seem a bit like the
Paul Motian Trio with
Frisell and
Joe Lovano despite the inclusion of bass. Occasionally, the interplay between
Irwin and tenor saxophonist
Rich Perry (who is on five of the eight numbers) is reminiscent of
Lee Konitz and
Warne Marsh, particularly on "So in Love." But much of the time the performances are quite original. Whether floating out of tempo or swinging hard,
Irwin's music (he contributed five of the eight selections) is full of surprises and is consistently unpredictable. This CD grows in interest with each listen and is highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow