Tangents in Bloomington, MN

Michael McGinnis
' 11 originals (which hold together well as a suite) blend together adventurous
jazz
improvising with touches of Irish music,
rock
,
folk
, and
classical
.
"Arrival"
has a spooky beginning with
McGinnis
' soprano being joined by eerie sounds by the rhythm section, eventually featuring some impressive interplay between the soprano and trumpeter
Shane Endsley
. Most of the other selections evolve unpredictably.
"Indecision Insanity"
(which has
sounding excellent on tenor) is worthy of
Wynton
and
Branford Marsalis
"The Fiddletwins"
has sections that sound like both Eastern European and Irish music,
"No Ordinary Moments"
is a thoughtful
ballad
for the leader's soprano, and
"Fried"
is intense and free.
"M.D."
features freebop solos,
"The Cereal Aisle"
is a complex piece with arranged sections, and
"Finding the Balance"
has particularly tricky written ensembles. Overall, this set is full of unpredictable moments and high-quality playing from the five talented players; it is well worth checking out. ~ Scott Yanow