“ALBUM ALBUM.” Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition. ECM-25010-1....

“ALBUM ALBUM.” Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition. ECM-25010-1. Special Edition expands to a quintet here with new arrival Howard Johnson and returnee David Murray. Johnson (principally on baritone sax) and holdover John Purcell (alto/soprano) take the lion’s share of solos on a surprisingly mainstream set stressing carefully crafted compositions. Rufus Reid switches to electric bass on “New Orleans Strut” to provide an appropriately funky bottom for the horns and DeJohnette’s discreet synthesizer overdubs. “Album Album” may lack the improvisatory abandon of earlier Special Edition outings but it’s a welcome return to form. 3 1/2 stars.