Album review: Ben Wolfe - Any Time After Now (Resident Arts Records)

Ben Wolfe (bass); Joel Ross (vibes); Sullivan Fortner (piano); Chris Lewis (tenor sax); Aaron Kimmel (drums)

An album of sheer delight and beauty. Ten originals by bassist, composer Wolfe and perfectly executed by five of New York's finest including the leader himself.

Any Time After Now: The title track of the album more or less lays down what it's all about - gentle swinging sounds that were born in the 1950s and, like good wine and single malt whisky left to mature until potable to the palate. An up tempo romp recorded last year with solos all round 'cept that of the leader who's content to provide solid support,

Waltz II: As the title implies, a cool "May I have the next one?" type of number. Ross's vibes featured at length it's a delicate, handle me with care, number and, of course, Ross does just that.

If Only; A wistful, dreamy piece evoking the feeling of what might have been that the title suggests. Fortner's in a suitably reflective mood. It's a song searching for words.

Blues: Is what it is - a re-working of jazz's oldest harmonic structure. Lewis' dry tenor sound along with solos from Ross, Fortner and Wolfe update it by about 120 years give or take a week or two. Little did they know then, or did they...?

5/4 Groove: An esoteric exploration of what, pre-Brubeck, was uncharted territory - at least not intentionally - now it's just another part of the composer/arranger's bag of tricks although in this case it's much, much more. It's the track that would come closest to falling off the edge if the world was flat.

Do You Love?: An explorative, sprawling number that, at 6:18 is the longest track on the album Shaving a couple of minutes off wouldn't have done any harm.

Down With Gravity: Very cinematic. I could almost write a screenplay to the theme and the solos. It would be noir  with a touch of Mike Hammer. But, even without that malarkey it's still got something that, like gravity itself, draws you inside.

Always Four: There's a Shearing sound to this one not least because of Ross' vibes and Kimmel's drum breaks which would surely have  moved Denzil Best.

'Til Next Time: A slow, emotive goodbye song over a restrained bossa rhythm that almost brought tears to my eyes. That Joel Ross, can certainly tug at you heart strings even with just one little phrase.

Green (bonus track): Ross gets things swinging before throwing the gauntlet to Fortner who throws it back with interest. It's a good track that could have been even greater if Lewis had been invited to the party.

Best instrumental of the year so far. Lance