SCOTT COLLEY
The Magic Line
Arabesque
AJ0152

The Magic Line is saxophone power trio jazz played by three of the slickest, most knowledgeable (and busiest) musicians around today. The absence of a chordal instrument (other than Colley’s smattering of double-stops) is, to my ears, a big plus: the trio has a loose, airy quality that sounds modern without being self-consciously avant-garde. Drummer Bill Stewart is simply amazing throughout this disc, as are bassist / composer Colley and reedman Potter. In fact, The Magic Line may be my favorite performance thus far by the young saxophone star, who was also featured on Steely Dan’s latest. Based on his work with Andrew Hill and Lan Xang, I had started to think of Colley as a team player… a supportive bassist who rarely solos. Colley’s solos on "Dualessence," "Trip to Williamsburg" and Stewart’s convoluted, multi-sectioned "Mayberry" fully reveal what I knew all along: the dude can play his ass off! That said, I got the feeling that Colley’s formidable compositional chops are the true focus of The Magic Line. Though taut, uptempo hardbop (much like that purveyed by Dave Douglas’ quartet, for example) is the featured attraction (e.g., "Convergence," "Trip to Williamsburg," "Dog Logic"), Colley and Co. cover acres stylistic ground with admirable skill and sensitivity. The opening "Take It and Like It" is an edgy, sinuous funk tune of the sort that John Scofield used to revel in. On the darker, mysterioso side, Colley’s steady pulse anchors "Metropolis," where Colley blows some truly lovely bass clarinet. The rhapsodic, gospel-tinged "Monroe Street" reminded me a bit of some of the catchy, melodic things Marty Ehrlich has recorded with his two-reed (plus bass and drums) quartet. Colley’s abilities as an improvisor and composer are must fully realized on "Duallessence," a ‘bass tune’ of the sort I normally associate with Dave Holland. Though the trio dispenses with meter almost entirely on the title track, their innate, razor sharp sense harmony, melody and tonal color keeps chaos at bay. Actually, it would’ve been pretty interesting to hear Potter break out into some Ayler-esque wailing, but these guys are more about walking that magic line skillfully and artfully than indulging their passions in an uncontrolled way.

Dave Wayne

Track Listing: 1. Take It and Like It; 2. The Magic Line; 3. Convergence; 4. Monroe Street; 5. Metropolis; 6. Trip to Williamsburg; 7. Dualessence; 8. Soul Gravity; 9. Mayberry; 10. Dog Logic; 11. Epilogue

Personnel: Scott Colley, bass; Bill Stewart, drums; Chris Potter, tenor sax, soprano sax (Track 7), bass clarinet (Track 5)