Alto saxophonist Jeff Alkire’s third CD unfolds like a pleasant stroll, with catchy themes and a rich, intimate atmosphere. Working in a quintet, sextet and trio, Alkire’s style is economical, often subdued-even at faster tempos-and sometimes grows querulous, with a slight sourness creeping in at the fringes. He gets solid support: Kelvin Sholar’s sunny piano sets the mood and Riley Mullins’ trumpet balances Alkire nicely, but it’s bassist Esperanza Spalding’s intriguingly elusive solos that stand out in this compelling set.
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