May 15, 2008

“Season of Changes”

Verve

½

Perhaps the greatest compliment one can give to former Joni Mitchell/Wayne Shorter drummer Brian Blade is how free of ego his new album sounds. With near-telepathic empathy, he and his five-man band perform nine songs that deftly fuse impressionistic jazz and neo-chamber music with art-rock, folk, gospel and more. The ingenious results are often exquisite and always stirring.

– GEORGE VARGA