Umbra

The tenor sax extraordinaire Matt Otto has a lengthy history of live performances, and here he captures that energy with Jeff Harshbarger, John Kizilarmut, Hermon Mehari, Matt Villinger and Alex Frank for these 9 fusion filled songs.

'Little Things" wastes no time making an impression with Otto's radiant sax alongside Kizilarmut's agile drumming, and "Hawk" follows with a radiant demeanor that emits a calming intimacy that makes great use of Matt Villinger's Rhodes prowess.

Halfway through, "Prez" bops and shakes with Mehari's vivid trumpet front and center amid the frisky climate, while the title track features Frank's eloquent guitar playing that illuminates the reflective tone of the album's best.

Close to the end, "Esthesis" meshes the warm brass with Harshbarger's well timed bass and the atmospheric Rhodes, and "Melisma" exits with a harmonic delivery that uses space and ambience via an unpredictable performance.

All the songs are originals, as Otto and company touch on the '70s with plenty of solos and timeless jazz spirit.