ALBUM REVIEW: "Perfectly out of Place"

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Will Vinson

"Perfectly out of Place"

5Passion

willvinson.com

Saxophonist Will Vinson, a London native, has been a force on the New York City scene since 1999, playing with jazz artists like Kurt Rosenwinkel and Chris Potter, and pop singers like Rufus Wainwright and Sufjan Stevens. Over the years, he's recorded five albums showcasing his excellent playing and compositions, but his new CD, "Perfectly out of Place," is different. Vinson has broadened his scope in terms of compositions and arrangements.

Vinson's excellent band — Gonzalo Rubalcaba, piano; Mike Moreno, guitar; Matt Penman, bass; and Jeff Ballard, drums — is still here. But he has added (to various tracks) the wordless vocals of Jo Lawry, the percussion of Jamey Haddad, and strings in the form of The Mivos Quartet. The result is an album that lives up to its great ambitions. Some of the tunes, notably "Chalk It Up," showcase Vinson's soaring soprano sax in a fusion-like setting. Others, like "Desolation Tango" and "Skyrider," cross over into a gorgeous, semi-classical territory while retaining a contemporary edge. — BY RON NETSKY