Inside, Looking Out

Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, saxophonist Ben Schachter is a superb modern jazz improviser who possesses strong compositional attributes. He's performed/recorded with artists such as trumpeter Tim Hagans and guitarist Jef Lee Johnson. Yet, the Trio of Many outfit signifies his ongoing musical relationship with drummer Erik Johnson and bassist Micah Jones. This 2002 effort features the trio in fine form, as Schachter's meaty tenor sax sound provides the blustery edge. The musicians mix it up rather nicely, amid a hodgepodge of turbulent swing vamps and lyrically charged thematic forays. Schachter is a smooth operator who occasionally picks up the soprano sax. But the musicians' synergy is founded upon their ability to incorporate a variegated menu, consisting of blitzing crescendos, bluesy intonations, sparkling jazz waltz grooves, and more. They explore a myriad of rhythmic structures. Part of the beauty lies within the artists' communal spirit, topped off by the leader's penchant for fusing memorable licks with ferocious improvisational sequences. No doubt, this excellent aggregation deserves widespread recognition.