Enter, a Dragon

Granelli follows his own muse, with an eclecticism that combines an array of styles. This is his first recording with his group called Badlands, and the drummer/leader mixes offbeat compositions with scintillating solos for each of the 15 tracks. Of course, it does not hurt to head a septet whose members include such outstanding improvisers as saxophonists Briggan Krauss, Peter Epstein, and Chris Speed, and a trombonist as savvy as Curtis Hasselbring. Through it all, drummer Granelli manages to improvise duets with each of the musicians, including his talented son, J. Anthony Granelli, who plays acoustic guitar and electric bass, and deft pianist Jamie Saft, who doubles on clavinet, accordion, and slide guitar. Moods change with the drop of a coin, yet there is a coherent quality to it all that draws the listener into a magical world where just about anything goes.