Light mainstream jazz. The band includes a kora (African stringed instrument, similar to banjo) on many tracks! Which gives it a world-music sound that’s often exotic but sometimes borders on new age.

Ben Allison’s a borderline case ... he writes contemporary jazz that’s got enough adventure in the composing to be interesting, but it’s also got too much gloss -- it’s consciously relaxing and peaceful, as if to appeal to the Windham Hill or ECM crowd. Previous albums tipped too far that way -- and that’s why they’re not in our library.

The saving graces for this one: The novelty of the kora, and the fact that former Berkeley star Peter Apfelbaum is on tracks 1, 6, 8 -- where he adds a bit of punch. Eurojazz stalwart Tomas Ulrich is in there too.

1- Fun loping song, w/kora solo
2- Fast but peaceful
3- Relaxing mid/fast ditty: again, too peaceful. Some raspy sax work, though.
4*- Spanish sound! Gets into some nice tenor-sax soloing.
5- Softly bluesy. Don’t bother.
6**- Mildly post-bop song, a bit complicated. Nice Apfelbaum solo.
7- Comforting kora-and-bass piece
8*- Slow and more deeply jazzy than most
9*- Mid/fast little piece, gets sweeping near the end