LITTLE THINGS IN THE WORLD - BEN ALLISON & MAN SIZE SAFE
Hands down, this bassist/composer’s newest is the primo jazz release of 2008 so far and promises to stand tall as one of the year’s best. It’s lyrical, colorful, edgy and teems with inspired exuberance. Conceived with careful architectural attention and grounded in the tradition of alchemic improvisation, Ben Allison’s music has all the earmarks of jazz in motion to a higher evolutionary plateau. The CD marks the debut of his latest band, Man Size Safe, named after Dick Cheney’s White House vault. Key to the group’s sonic distinction is the interplay of trumpeter Ron Horton and electric guitarist Steve Cardenas. Highlights include Cardenas’ melodic gem “Language of Love,” Allison’s intriguing “Four Folk Songs” and a salient cover of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.”
