The Roswell Incident

After the audacious collages of Glen Hall's 1999 CD Hallucinations, his follow-up release The Roswell Incident comes down like a cold shower. Exit the ambient pieces and the poetry readings intertwined with slurry music numbers ranging from swing to punk: This CD is back-to-basics jazz of the post-bop variety. No fancy experimentations: The nine pieces featured here were all cast in the same mold. If the avant-garde lover who was turned on to Hall by Hallucinations will feel puzzled at first, less adventurous listeners will be conquered by the beautiful, dark atmosphere emanating from this session. Vibraphonist Allan Molnar and trombonist Roswell Rudd (both key players heard on Hall's previous effort) are the two driving forces of this ensemble, providing gloomy solos. The rhythm section (formed of "Banjo" Barry Romberg and Michael Morse) follow a sloppy swing. When Michael Occhipinti trades his guitar for the banjo on Carla Bley's "Chico," the listener suddenly feels lost in the Interzone at four in the morning. And the band just won't stop playing. ~ François Couture, Rovi