March 7, 2019
There are several problems with this disappointingly lightweight release. Greg Osby chose to mostly feature his anonymous-sounding soprano instead of his much more distinctive alto. The rhythms on the funky grooves are so predictable and insipid that they could have been played by the sidemen in their sleep and none of the originals are the least bit memorable. Altoist Steve Coleman drops by on “Balaka” to heat things up a little, but, considering how mundane much of this dance music is, Osby sure seems to take it awful seriously. And what’s the title of this CD mean, if anything? Better to catch Greg Osby on Andrew Hill’s records instead. ~ Scott Yanow
