The much-heralded saxophonist
Luc Houtkamp
visited Chicago at the end of the 20th century and recorded seven tracks with two of the Windy City's best, bassist
Kent Kessler
and percussionist
Michael Zerang
. As expected, the energy flows,
Houtkamp
swings his ax violently and passionately but also at times with a slow flutter, and the bass and drums follow suit. The saxophonist is all over his horn, cramming multitudes of notes into small spaces, but making it all interesting with plenty of extended technique.
remains a unique stylist, who relies on a distinct vocabulary of advanced method to create fascinating stories with sound. His complex solos often sound composed but are instead the product of an unusually fertile mind. His partners seem unusually subdued, but
charges full steam ahead with or without the torpedoes. ~ Steven Loewy