April 1997

Michael Mason
Visionary
Southport

By Owen Cordle

The flute has been used in few tributes to John Coltrane. Mason makes an impressive case for the instrument and himself in this program of nine Trane compositions. Armed with admirable classical and jazz technique, Mason and his Chicago colleagues (the personnel listing includes 14 musicians who appear on various tracks) capture the flavor of the late saxophonist without fawning imitation or gushing spirituality. This is good news indeed.