Color Of Memory, The

Chicago-based Ken Vandermark's trademark band is back. Two saxes, trombone, bass, drums. High energy jazz -- the tempos aren't all breakneck fast, but Vandermark's solos are gutsy and hefty, channeling ghosts from every decade since the '50s while also sometimes thrashing in an almost punkish vein.

Great stuff, often accessible (note the dedications including Nina Rota and Art Pepper). Start with Disk 1 track 5 (a slow one) if you're not so sure, then graduate to Disk 1 track 4.

DISK ONE
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1- Mid/fast, brightly lumbering. Great sax solo early on: Fast, buzzy, off-kilter. Second half gets weirder: blurts of noise with long pauses. Feels like a well-practiced improv structure.
2- Mid/fast swingy, pleasant.
3- Burbly abstract improv, active but sparse feel
4- Speedy and upbeat jazz line. Furious hard-digging solo.
5- Nice, melodic, relaxed. Jumps into a faster bluesy feel after 4 minutes.

DISK TWO
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1- Smoky/bluesy feel, picks up after slow start. Gets snappy and fast.
2- Slow crawl at first; warm feel. Veers into abstract improv, sparse but building energy into a tunneling midtempo groove. Near -6:00, abruptly stops: More abstract improv + drum solo. Ends speedy and energetic.
3- Straight-jazz groove with fast walking bass. Gets into a couple buzzy solos, including a great, towering one late in the game.