Accessible mainstream sound with some creative soloing, with some players known for accessible but creative work.

Carney plays piano but adds synths, an effect that doesn't always work (judge for yourself on the first minutes of track 1, the most experimental of the bunch). Good stuff overall, though -- the first track gets quite avant-garde but most of this sticks closer to the mainstream, with occasional gospel tones in the piano, the way Keith Jarrett did in the '70s.

Tracks 7 and 8 really stand out; 2 is funky fun and 5 is quite ear-catching, too.

Peter Epstein -- soprano sax
Ralph Alessi -- trumpet
Tony Malaby -- tenor sax
Josh Roseman -- trombone
James Carney -- piano, electric piano, synth
Chris Lightcap -- bass
Mark Ferber -- drums

1- Slow synth tones, an unconvincing "menacing" air that could also be a dated '80s feel, depending on how you listen. Eventually gives way to a fairly bright mid/fast space with dramatic chords
2- Gloopy funk, easy beat, gets into a nice driving flow
3- Floaty and drifting, after an upbeat shuffle. Unaccompanied piano solo gets pensive, also playful. Nice soloing space later. (Longest track on here, at 12:46)
4- Slow synth-led intro, an avant-garde New Orleans funeral march with buzzing sax.
5- Mid/fast, perky w/easygoing horn harmonies. Particularly nice piano solo.
6- Mellow feel, into a playfully creeping group solo
7- Fast, perky, a bit strange.
8- Knotty horn lines, soft and rich melody, gets some gospel overtones