Potion

For Potion, New Winds' fourth album, one face in the trio changed: clarinetist J.D. Parran was replaced by trumpeter Herb Robertson. The ensuing changes in sound palette, range of expression, and compositional support were all positive, and helped make this CD the best one under the trio's name (flutist Robert Dick had already been involved in another interesting trio recording, Aurealis, with Daniele Patumi and John Wolf Brennan). Here we have four main compositions framed by five collective improvisations, all of which were recorded over two days (instead of the five-year span on Digging It Harder From Afar). It results in a more focused album — a punchier one too, thanks to Robertson's horn and his playful nature. All three musicians contribute one piece, the fourth being Dave Douglas' "For Every Action." Saxophonist Ned Rothenberg's "Romper Room" is a busy piece reminiscent of Jean Derome's cycle Confitures de Gagaku — especially his "Nouveaux Oiseaux" — with fluttering, almost-unison (harmolodic?) melodies. Amidst all the fun, one cannot forget that New Winds is a group capable of beautiful textures and moments of strong emotion. Robertson's soft-spoken "Co-Enzyme," with its tonal finale, provides the CD's highlight, although Dick's "New Truths, Not Vicious Pleasures," cleverly blurring distinctions between contemporary classical and new jazz, comes close to stealing the show, making a delightful closer. Strongly recommended, if only for "Co-Enzyme." ~ François Couture, Rovi