Composer is primarily known for wind ensemble music in the U.S.; in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, where such music is rarer, his music for brass band is more familiar. Here, he boils both forms down to chamber dimensions, "creating a repertoire for clarinet quartet," as he puts it in his informative notes. The album is the second of a pair devoted to 's chamber music, and the music for this release was commissioned by the . It is fresh and, in many places, delightful, with 's background in band music evident in the dense chordal textures but with an elegant sense of line throughout. writes that despite his background, his favorite medium is music for solo voice with accompaniment, and here, is a real standout. Soprano is well acquainted with and delivers a lovely performance with perfect chamber dimensions. The are also obviously invested in their commissions, offering precise performances that have a certain freshness due, perhaps, to the idiom being new to the performers. Something of a sleeper of a chamber music release, this album is recommended to anyone who enjoys music for winds. ~ James Manheim