What You Don't Forget

Album Review

Tenor saxophonist Bryan Murray's What You Don't Forget is a particularly intriguing recording. The musicians have the freedom to play as free as they like, and sometimes the music briefly becomes sound explorations, but there are also periods of swinging free bop and music that hints at advanced hard bop. Murray has a big and dry sound, impressive technique, and a fertile imagination. Guitarist Jon Lundbom shows a lot of versatility, ranging from Jim Hall to fusion guitarists, and both bassist Michael Bates and drummer Chris Carroll are alert and consistently stimulating in their commentary behind the lead voices. Murray's originals sometimes just have brief themes, but they always seem to have a basic plan behind the improvisations and a quiet logic of their own. What You Don't Forget deserves several close listens.