Live At Crescent

This may be the best recording yet of the Collective 4tet, a leaderless quartet that combines extended free-form improvisation with peerless musical instincts to create exquisite musical tapestries. Two long cuts and a short hornless trio round out this intricate live set, with the first piece, "For Emmanuel," beginning softly, and slowly building to a crescendo of unmitigated intensity. Four sound as one, as cohesive interplay unfolds with seemingly logical abandon. Hoyer continues to grow, as his trombone honks and wails unassumingly, and by the second number, "Sonic Flowers," his multi-phonics, muted snorts, and elongated pedal tones juxtapose perfectly against William Parker's astonishing basslines. The strong finale, where Hoyer shifts to piano, closes a near-perfect concert. Mark Hennen's vibrant piano shines throughout, his excellent technique subordinated to the group effort.