Reflections

Mark Colby has come out with a new disc, Reflections, on Origin Records. Colby joins a long list of Chicago's top-notch musicians making the move to that label, and like most of Origin's other releases, this one is flat-out fantastic. I'm beginning to think that John and Chad, the masterminds of that label, have no idea how to put out a bad record.

As a matter of fact, you just know that this is going to be a great album from the moment that you hit "play" on the CD player. Starting off with some rubato piano, Colby's willingness to let "Close Enough For Love" unfold lets you know that a seasoned jazz veteran is at the helm here, and that everything is going to be alright.

He was also smart enough to pick the best man for the job on every tune, so there are four different configurations of personnel to be found over the course of ten tracks. We find Colby in standard tenor and rhythm section mode for a large chunk of the record, but on four tracks you get to hear Colby strolling with just bass and drums. While many players either sink without a chording instrument or use it as an excuse to "play out" without having the slightest grasp on what that might actually mean, Colby sounds absolutely fantastic in this setting.

Interestingly, the two standout tracks on this CD both feature Mike Pinto on guitar: Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Desafinado" and Ornette Coleman's "Blues Connotation." I hadn't heard of Pinto before, and I don't know if that's because I'm living under a rock or because he's genuinely new to the scene. Either way, he uses both of his appearances to make some truly great contributions to Colby's disc. "Desafinado" benefits from a groove that takes this warhorse in some newfound directions, and Pinto's solo here is beautiful, and definitely a high point of the CD. On "Blues Connotation," Pinto acts as a second horn as opposed to a chording instrument. He and Colby kick up an awful lot of dust on the tune, and I certainly hope to hear more from him in the future.

With Phil Woods, Bob Lark and Ron Perillo added to the mix, the wrap-up song, "Spuires Parlor" [sic], warrants extra attention. Colby, Woods and Lark sound fantastic together, and as a three-horn front line with a top-notch rhythm section behind them, it gives off the vibe of one of those classic Prestige jam session sides, albeit in a more concise fashion.

From first song to last, there's nothing less than a great recording on here. There is a freshness that is hard to describe. you'll just have to hunt this one down for yourself and see what I'm talking about.