Chris Tarry

Not your average jazz CD, this one. You see, it comes packaged in a book, featuring four short stories written by multi-talented bassist/composer/bandleader/author Tarry. The name may be familiar to Canadian jazz fans, as Tarry was a member of popular combo Metalwood. Living in NYC since 2003, he is an in-demand accompanist for some notable artists (Mano Cinelu, John Scofield), and this is the eighth album he has released under his own name. His 2007 disc, Almost Certainly Dreaming, won a Juno Award, and this superb effort deserves wide recognition. He is a generous bandleader, giving his fine players plenty of room to move on original compositions that are both adventurous and accessible (as on the ten-minute-plus title track). His band are primarily NYC musicians (pianist Henry Hey co-produced with Tarry), though Toronto, ON-based saxophonist Kelly Jefferson shines throughout. There's a nice variety of tempo and tones here as well, from the propulsive groove of "Five" to the gently lyrical "Tristeza" and "Launch." As for the accompanying book, Tarry proves himself a fluent wordsmith via stories that are imaginative and haunting. Excellent work all round.