“VOLUME II.” Clarinet Summit. India Navigation IN-1067....

“VOLUME II.” Clarinet Summit. India Navigation IN-1067. Second volumes culled from a single live performance inevitably suggest inferior goods but the Clarinet Summit’s “Volume II” actually surpasses the first release. Recorded in New York in 1983, the group features Swing Era veteran Jimmy Hamilton, New Orleans’ Alvin Batiste and local master John Carter, with David Murray anchoring the arrangements on bass clarinet. The material combines five brief selections by Hamilton or Duke Ellington that emphasizes the clarinet’s sonorous qualities and long pieces from Carter and Batiste that open the door to more experimental forays. Definitely for specialized tastes, but “Volume II” succeeds admirably at what it sets out to do. 4 stars.