Life in Time

There are always surprising CDs, such as the new one by trumpeter Darren Johnston from Brooklyn with his well-rehearsed trio from Chicago. Together with saxophonist and bass clarinetist Geof Bradfield, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall, he plays ten very varied compositions (six by Johnston, four by Bradfield). The mix of ballads and uptempo pieces never lets you get bored or miss a harmony instrument like the piano or guitar. On the contrary, Johnston captivates with a wonderful trumpet sound, which is impressive in the fast "Locomotive Sunflower" and the ballad "Song For Kamala". Bradfield's saxophone playing in harmony with Johnston's trumpet is strongly reminiscent of the music of the Ornette Coleman Quartet, and not just in "Little Gold Fish", "Life in Time" and "Guimaraes". Unfortunately, Bradfield can only be heard once on the soprano saxophone and on two tracks on the bass clarinet; one would have liked to have heard more of that.