Planet Construction (feat. Ray Anderson)

Trombonist Ray Anderson guests with the quartet When Granny Speaks, featuring trumpeter Kasper Tranberg and a fine rock-tinged rhythm section. Transberg wrote five of the seven pieces, which showcase slightly wacky harmonies and quirky melodies. Anderson is given plenty of solo space, and fits perfectly, the band following his every move. Although the trombonist's licks are well known, this disc documents some of his best work. He stretches with liquid fluidity and a graceful elegance that belies the difficult technique. Niclas Knudsen's powerful guitar influences the tone, although he is perfectly capable of delicate blowing too, as he shows on, for example, "The Mystery of Monkenstein." Tranberg is a treat on trumpet, with good range, control of the horn, and inventive solos. A confident group, with a sound much fuller than you might expect from a quintet, When Granny Speaks is one of the few modern mainstream jazz combos to produce something new and exciting within a traditional framework.