Waking Dream

Celebrations of the music of jazz composer Gregg Hill continue to come out at a steady clip, and continue to demonstrate what a remarkable talent he is. Pianist Rick Roe's Hill program, "Wake Up Call," opens with the strutting "Inside Straight," then proceeds to a swaying 6/8 with "Sunspiration." A particularly interesting juxtaposition is that between the lyrically straightforward "The Return of Mr. Pea" and the knotty "Modal Yodel #2" that immediately follows. Roe's arrangements for saxophone and piano trio are sharp and insightful, as are his solos. Roe also appears on Randy Napoleon's album, "Waking Dream," which features no fewer than five guitarists and a whole passel of guest instrumentalists in addition to a rhythm section consisting of Roe, bassist Rodney Whitaker, and drummer Quincy Davis. Napoleon has taken on a pretty monumental challenge of arrangement here and meets that challenge admirably. From the first track ("Silver Moon") you hear how wisely Napoleon marshals the forces of these guitarists, writing tight harmony lines for some while others comp in rhythmic unison behind; he takes a similar approach on the tango-inflected "The Speckled Frog," though here the harmonies are even denser and the comping patterns more complex. This is an unusually complex but also accessible and deeply rewarding album. Both are recommended to all jazz collections.