In the Garden

It would probably be an exaggeration to say that is underrated; the veteran saxophonist has long commanded a loyal, enthusiastic following. But it might be safe to say that some historians in the world don't adequately explain just how much of an innovator he is. was one of the very first people to play modal -- he certainly deserves as much credit as and in that area -- and his -influenced experiments of the late '50s were quite advanced for their time. Long after the '50s, continued to fascinate -- and it's certainly a big part of what he does on . Recorded live at in Venice, CA (a Los Angeles suburb) on March 1-2, 2003, finds an 82-year-old leading a large ensemble that is mindful of African, Middle Eastern, and Asian music. not only plays the tenor sax on these performances -- he's also heard on a variety of flutes -- and his sidemen play everything from flutes and clarinets to traditional string and percussion instruments from Africa and Asia. Those who are seriously into might recognize the sound of the Indian bansuri flute, or African udu drums, but even if you can't pick out all the instruments, it is obvious that and his colleagues are thinking globally throughout this rewarding two-CD set. These performances tend to be abstract, sometimes drawing on . But those who are adventurous enough to go along for the ride will find a lot to enjoy about . ~ Alex Henderson