Scott DuBois Quintet: Monsoon

Scott DuBois’ Monsoon (Soul Note) is just the sort of album you’d expect to find saxophonist David Liebman showing up on. His expressive and spiritual sound fits right into this earthy set of DuBois originals that often comes off like a late-’60s Pharoah Sanders LP. Almost all of it works, too. Bassist Thomas Morgan’s punchy underpinning bump moves the opening “Lost Silence” along from the start, but some tracks, like the following “Rain on Rain,” have the band meandering for minutes before a groove strikes. DuBois switches between electric and acoustic guitar, and he seems happiest applying texture to the pieces and letting the reeds handle most of the out-in-front work; when he takes a solo it’s usually a string of separate flurries of notes that don’t move as much as the work of saxophonists Liebman, who’s heard on four tracks, Loren Stillman and Jason Rigby, who takes care of things when Liebman isn’t around. Monsoon lulls at points, but it’s dramatic music on the whole and a must-hear for those seeking the mystical sound.

Originally Published March 1, 2005