Originals for the Originals

Michael Zilber uses his compositional skills as well as his soprano and tenor saxes to give tribute to some of his musical inspirations. The core team of David Kikoski/p, James Genus/b and Clarence Penn/dr is used for all of the songs except one, the darkly swinging "Hen House" dedicated to Joe Henderson. Other Selmer stars include a Wayne Shorter, who is shown by the leader's soprano in the Weather Report fashion on the exciting and propulsive "Weather Wayne" while "Paste Blues" is a lovely tilt to Shorter's Blue Note period with Zilber's tenor waltzing elegantly. The rhythm team goes Caribbean for Sonny Rollins on "Partly Sonny" and the gentle "Leaves" and tricky "Breckerfast Club" shine the light on Michael Brecker, with Kikowski's modal piano giving proper Tyneresque chords to inspire the vibrant "Coltraning Daze." An impressive overview of many of modern jazz's sax standard bearers. Collect them all!