Chicago Spontaneous Combustion Suite

Abstract improvisation from a horn-heavy quintet, mostly keeping to a jazzy feel but with touches of European "sound experiment" improv.

The 1- and 2-minute snippets are some of the best tracks, with a fun and direct approach -- they'd make nice interludes during any show. Longer tracks, such as the first three, tend to wander and favor a slower atmosphere -- rewarding, but requiring more patience.

Doesn't compare well to some of the improv efforts out of Europe (one jazz-related example being Tony Bianco and Paul Dunmall's "Hour Glass" album) ... the five members seem a bit too cautious, and that can bog down some of the longer tracks.

1- Perky horns at start; slows to a groaning middle section.
2- Long track. Starts with bruising aggression, later slips into a quieter, jazzy sound
3- Slow, bleating. Almost a jazzy feel. Some cool fast soloing near the end.
4- Brisk, jazzy, breezy
5- Perky fast chamber music, a bit fun
7- Burly baritone sax & jazzy drum rolling
8- A quick-stepping march, feels incomplete
9- Gets into some almost straight-jazz soloing and a fast toe-tapping triple-solo segment, after a quiet start. Mid/fast, nice.
10- Some dramatic bowed bass....
11- Slow horns
13- Careful horn lines, not entirely successful.
14- Drum solo: careful snare work
15- Bass solo
16- Solo bass trumpet
17- Solo trumpet
18- Fluttery sax solo
19- Spirited group improv, fairly fast, short.