Vibes on a Breath

The latest recording by vibraphonist Ted Piltzecker as a leader is also his first outing with a larger ensemble. This septet includes trumpeter Brad Goode and tenor saxophonist/bass clarinetist John Gunther (who gets a lot of featured time in these arrangements), and the group operates nimbly in the space between a medium-sized combo and a small jazz orchestra. The program is filled with fun and sometimes slightly odd choices: for example, opening with two quiet numbers, the first of them a slow, torchy arrangement of "If I Only Had a Brain" and the second a take on "Nature Boy" that opens with drifting impressionism and then evolves into a midtempo lope. The energy level picks up with Piltzecker's original "Roaring Fork Closure," a strutting hard-bop workout with a subtle and highly effective horn chart. Elsewhere there's a great arrangement of the enigmatic Lee Konitz composition "Subconscious Lee" (note the unison lines played by the vibes and the bass clarinet) as well as contemplative performances of Keith Jarrett's "In Your Quiet Place" and Hoagy Carmichael's "New Orleans." Strongly recommended to all jazz collections.