JAZZ : NEW RELEASES : In Brief
* * * Odean Pope Saxophone Choir, “The Ponderer,” Soul Note. The second recording of tenor saxophonist Pope’s 13-piece ensemble--nine saxes, four rhythm--relies too much on unison playing spotlighting the power or lushness of the massed horns. Pope’s writing favors rhythmic shifts for dynamic punch over contrapuntal melodies among the horns. “The Ponderer” succeeds on its own terms--those terms just leave promising avenues undeveloped.
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