Photo by Don Berryman

"Equinox," the shimmering opening track, gives Kenny Horst a leading role right off, and he manages to sustain crystalline cymbals with the one hand while adding some nice resonant echoes with the other. Granros takes the first melodic lead, then continues in tandem with Schimke who ultimately takes over, bringing lyrical sensibility to the ensemble's interplay. Granros returns with a more horn-like set of runs and trills, leading the way for Peterson's deep electrified bubbling, gurgling, note-bending beat. Like Coltrane himself, this lead-off track is a tough act to follow.

"Lester Leaps Out" starts with a sequence of ostinato lines from the piano, giving way to Granros' fluttering licks. Peterson provides similar scaffolding on which to build the melody, with Granros taking over as the lead architect. Horst again provides glistening rides and pulsating crashes, while Schimke picks up the gauntlet and creates a tightly woven mesh of variations that ultimately melts over a surging bassline.

Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" is less subtle than the composer's original recording, with Granros carrying the opening melody, leaving the piano and bass to provide the ostinato framework. Schimke fills Hancock's chair admirably with a richly textured two-handed improvisation that heightens the composition's lyrical elements. Where George Coleman's sax sent the original recording into an introspective spin, the more forceful calling of the electric guitar infuses this rendition with more blatant urgency. Clearly this is not a "maiden voyage" for this ensemble.

Wayne Shorter and disciples not withstanding, maybe sax is not the key ingredient to the magic of "Footprints." The guitar, on the other hand, brings a new texture to this often-overplayed staple of modern bands. Schimke shines in his romp through the changes and improvisational elements, but his vocalizations don't add much interest and seem unnecessary given the contributions of the other instruments. Peterson's solo has an electronic vibrato but also the flowing motion of the acoustic upright--a trademark of Peterson's basslines. Here he proves that "Footprints" works as a solo vehicle for bass.

Schimke's contributions testify to his wide range of compositional ideas. "Vow" is a gorgeous, straight ahead melody that could come from the pen of Kenny Werner or Fred Hersch. On this recording, drummer Horst's sublimely thundering rolls well serve the lyrical lines of the melody, while Peterson's beautiful bass undertones add rich textures. On the other hand, "Gorilla" has a funky Hancockian beat; you almost expect a "watermelon man" to pop up at any moment. Schimke is a stellar pianist and composer, even an effective lyricist, but I find him to be less appealing as a vocalist, at least in this context.

In sum, this is a fine and intriguing debut recording for a creative quartet seeking to explore both old and new territory. It doesn't "leap" that far out, but it does follow in some large "footprints" of modern jazz, suggesting a path toward even more inventive musings on future "voyages."

Enjoy further live explorations with How Birds Work at the www.howbirdswork.com