Mark Segger Sextet

There's a wonderful Rube-Goldberg-machine mechanicality to some of drummer/composer Mark Segger's tunes on The Beginning. "Steam Engine" puffs and clacks along with indefatigable forward motion, commented upon by honks and blats by the three horn players and pianist Tanya Gill's intrepid melodica machinations. Tenor saxist Chris Willes displays depth in the development of his expressive solo on "My Dog Has Fleas," followed by some extended technique git-down by trombonist Heather Segger. The mécanique-isms keep coming in "Part III," but with the added deep groove kept cooking by rock-solid bass lines, courtesy of the ever-resourceful Andrew Downing, and kicking drumming from Segger, whose orchestrations get a great big sound for the group's actual size. "Soca You Play It" veers from blasting ensemble passages, with intriguing Monkish downward cadential movement, à la "Brilliant Corners", segueing into a swinging Gill piano solo and punchy horn interjections. The sextet will be touring out west in early/mid-March, so be sure check them out live, where Segger's charts are sure to get a passionate blow-down.