Ari Brown (feat. Kirk Brown)

Big-toned tenor saxophonist Ari Brown is well known for his work with fellow AACM members Lester Bowie, Kahil El’Zabar, and Anthony Braxton. Yet with a career that stretches back to the ‘60s, he’s released a scant four albums as a leader. Here, on his first studio effort in 15 years, he leads his longtime quintet through mix of originals and classics. While the title would seem to indicate a funk-jazz fusion, the music is organic; bassist Yosef Ben Israel, drummer Avreeayl Ra, and hand percussionist Dr. Cuz offer perfectly synced rhythmic beds for Brown and his brother Kirk Brown on acoustic piano to solo. Long a disciple who worships at the altars of John Coltrane and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Brown solos vividly on his reggae-ish take on Trane’s slow blues “Lonnie’s Lament” and embraces Kirk’s devotion to melody and multi-horn tones (for the latter, check out the end of the hard-charging “Veda’s Dance”). Other standouts include a bluesy version of Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” and the straight-ahead “One for Ken.”