Dino

Danish tenor saxophonist Jakob Dinesen might not be well known in the United States, but his 2009 release Dino impresses mightily. Leading a group composed of bassist Anders Christiansen and the extraordinary drummer Paul Motian, Dinesen quietly dazzles with his subtle playing. On tunes like Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday” and the country classic “Tennessee Waltz,” the saxophonist draws from the great American tenor sax tradition of the 20th century. (Playing over Motian’s spacious and inventive drumming on “Darwin,” Dinesen evokes John Coltrane.) Trombonist Mad Hyhne and trumpeter Kasper Tranberg appear on “Night Of The Strooch” and “Ochun,” bringing a buttery sound to the appealingly simple horn charts. On the latter cut, the brass players enter into a nice exchange, while their work on “Strooch” provides a fine foil for Dinesen’s tenor. Throughout the album, Dinesen keeps things short and sweet: “Ochun” is the only cut that runs as long as six minutes. The nimble rhythm section doesn’t waste notes, either; every tone and timbre feels right.