Travelogue

Perhaps we react to music in similar fashions. Sometimes from the opening notes and rhythms we make up our minds that a particular recording has it - that essence, that enigmatic thing that heads straight for where we live inside - the spirit song. Drummer Todd Bishop's new album Travelogue opens with a beat reminiscent of Horace Silver's "Song For My Father" set-up by bassist Chris Higgins and pianist Jasnam Daya Singh. Yet "Moving" heads somewhere else on the wings of Richard Cole's warm tenor saxophone playing with Bishop adding rhythmic and percussive accents, thus creating a fascinating introduction to this fine album.

Most of the compositions on Travelogue are by Bishop, pianist Singh and reedman Cole. It's good material conducive to excellent solo work and organic interplay. Richard Cole plays soprano, tenor and baritone saxes, bass clarinet and alto flute on the album. Pianist Jasnam Daya Singh, formerly known as Weber Iago, is from Rio de Janiero. Both of these musicians contribute substantial solos that are consistently rewarding, built as they are around interesting compositions. "Dom's Riff" and its captivating groove has the interesting combination of baritone saxophone and Rhodes piano, and it's always a pleasure to hear bass clarinet work as Cole delivers upon the quirky "Rover" and "Somnambulist" with its sauntering beat. The closing track, "Only Shallow" is a strange amalgamation of rock-sounding bass, overdubbed flute and horns, gospel-like baritone work and a funky Rhodes sound.

Travelogue is like that, sounding at once unanticipated and engagingly accessible - but that's how good music is and how good musicians are; able to play with substance and so well they can take you to amazing places. The Todd Bishop Group does that.