Mas Alto [CD]

Stripping the music to it's essentials, saxophonist Todd DelGiudice explores the remarkable freedom and intimacy of the saxophone trio on this program of compelling originals and modern jazz standards. The title, Mas Alto, carries a playful double meaning, ""higher"" in Spanish, reflecting DelGiudice's continual pursuit of artistic growth, and ""more alto,"" a fitting celebration of the instrument's lyrical power in a format more often dominated by tenor saxophonists. With longtime musical partner Jon Hamar on bass, in two trios with the masterful drummers Obed Calvaire and Jim White, DelGiudice draws on the enduring legacy of Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, and Kenny Garrett while speaking with a voice that is his own. Inspired, conversational, and richly melodic, Mas Alto is a deeply engaging statement from an artist whose command and love of the tradition leads him continually to fresh and spontaneous musical discoveries. ""Highly improbable sax hero, bright, lush, and never sketchy."" Tom Hull, The Village Voice