Although the Alex Levine Quartet always seems to gravitate Towards The Center (Outside In Music), they veer sharply left toward the end of this all-original 63:40. Levine is an intuitive New York City guitarist who interacts with sax man Marcus Elliott, bassist Ben Rolston and drummer Stephen Boegehold in a way that presents the strengths of all four. As a composer, he doesn't necessarily take a straight line to his goal. He likes the roads less traveled, be they bumpy, unpaved or filled with potholes. Although the first 10 compositions contain mystery, drama, taut emotion and languorous sensuality, the last three tracks-"Implosion," "Adama" and "Wax"-go wild with uninhibited wanderlust.
Toronto's Modus Factor is in "The Picasso Zone" (Browntasauras Records) on a 10-track burst of electricity starring drummer Chris Lesso, electric trumpeter/producer Brownman Ali and bassist Ian De Souza. They call this improvised craziness "electro-ambient improvisational bedlam," and, to be sure, most of this falls into the realm of spontaneous composition. "Still I Rise" even features poet Maya Angelo [1928-2014] reciting her poem of the same name. Recommended with reservation.
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