January/February 2009

Bill Moring & Way Out East
Spaces in Time
Owl Records

By Bill Milkowski

Bassist Bill Moring assembles a crack crew of trumpeter Jack Walrath, saxophonist Tim Armacost, keyboardist Steve Allee and drummer Steve Johns for this wildly uncompromising project. Walrath’s renegade presence is felt on his edgy funk number “Sweat” and his free-jazz offering “Snakes!” as well as his audacious plunger work on Johns’ soulful “Deep Blue” and his upstart blurts on Moring’s organ-groover “iHop.” Their faithful rendition of Ornette Coleman’s “The Disguise” is a pleasant surprise.