(D)IVO [CD]

Innovative saxophonist Ivo Perelman is one of those rare musicians whose remarkably large discography is also uniformly superb. Despite having over 100 releases to his credit, not a single one even approaches mediocrity. Perelman's style, unique from the onset, has evolved with breathtaking alacrity making each addition to his oeuvre distinct from the others yet equally superlative. On this album Perelman, democratically, leads the saxophone quartet D(IVO) consisting of himself on tenor, Tony Malaby on soprano, Tim Berne on alto, and James Carter on baritone saxophone. Berne and Carter also appear on this project's precursor, an engrossing and impressive 12 disc box set of duets with various reed players.

As with every new release, here too, Perelman demonstrates a stylistic evolution. He has honed his singular artistry over decades and with each recording he continues to progress and advance. He states that the music on this date is the direct result of the influence the duet sessions had on him. It is also clear that he himself has strongly influenced his bandmates. To date this is Perelman's masterpiece. It is an expressive, moving and provocative work that enlightens both performer and listener.