The Bowie Project

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Lester Bowie, so I picked this one up with eagerness — only to discover that it's actually a jazz tribute to David Bowie. Well, no worries, I'm also a big David Bowie fan, so I cued the disc up with only slight trepidation. "Slow Burn" and "5:15 the Angels Have Gone" both adapted themselves nicely to the balladic arrangements, but in my mind the test was going to be "Changes" — and I was startled by how well it worked out as a slow-to-midtempo contemplation. Vocalist Paul Marinaro sings in an only slightly adapted jazz style, wisely avoiding either rockish affectations or a Procrustean forcing of these songs into an artificial swing. Arranging duties are handed around between the band members, with a majority involving saxophonist Jim Gailloreto, and he deserves great credit for both taste and creativity.