Pum'kin Diaries

The group moniker is a spin on flutist Mark Alban Lotz's last name. This 2003 effort represents the group's inaugural U.S. release. Based in Amsterdam, this jazz quartet, featuring American free jazz drummer Michael Vatcher (a longtime resident of the Netherlands), abides by a rather frisky, loose-groove demeanor. However, the musicians explore a widespread musical landscape here. On bassist Marc van Roon's composition titled "In the Air," the ensemble finds a happy medium by alternating between free-form interplay and a blithely enacted swing vamp. Otherwise, Lotz is a proficient flute performer. He uses concert, alto bass, and contra bass flutes throughout this most captivating set. Thus, there are quite a few contrasting ingredients, as the artists institute a gleeful, cross-polarization of classical musings and modern jazz frameworks amid a few ethereal passages. They render a loosey-goosey spin on Sonny Rollins' classic "Oleo." Yet, one of the sparkling highlights of this affair pertains to the quartet's perky musical demeanor, topped off with traditional Dutch wit and ingenuity. By covering the works of disparate artists such as Bob Dylan and Ornette Coleman along with originals, the musicians intimate a sophisticated viewpoint manifested by their stylistic approach.