KZSU Stanford Radio 90.1 FM Review of "The Round" By Fo

MODERN JAZZ – Here’s one of those discs that totally sneaks up on you and bonks you over the head. McCabe, and alto saxophonist, has an appealing tone and writes seemingly simple melodies. But these are just launching pads for some really sophisticated musical ideas, twisty playing and advanced harmonies that make these little ditties very interesting. And he has a great quartet that can back it up, maintaining McCabe’s oblique angles without losing the groove. Cool stuff.

Alexander McCabe : alto saxophone
Uri Caine : piano
Ugonna Okegwo : bass
Rudy Royston : drums

(Greg Hutchinson plays drums on 2 & 3)

Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 4, 5

1. 5:18 – lilting tune alternates two meters; sounds light but sax is really tricky
2. 6:07 – upbeat bop-blues: propulsive drums; piano digs in, sax skews to left
3. 5:18 – odd, breezy & whimsical: sax flies wildly, then bass settles it down
4. 4:59 – perky tune out of left field: sax twists it up and lets go; piano glides
5. 12:02 – standard ballad, expanded outwards: first 4 mins are wide open, dramatic; then bossa nova swing, strong solos, back to beginning
6. 4:44 – hopscotch melody into noodly free-bop sax solo, quirky piano & bass
7. 8:23 – easygoing standard, played fairly straight but sax still breaks free 

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