Donny McCaslin - Perpetual Motion ****

Ok, this is some kind of electric cd, since there is an electric bassplayer (Tim Lefebvre) and a Fender Rhodes, played on most tracks by Adam Benjamin (who doubles on piano once in a while), and on one track by Uri Caine. But don't be afraid: this is excellent jazz, as you quite rightfully expect from Donny Mc Caslin.
The saxophonist hasn't stopped surprising me since his debut Exile and discovery (1998) on the now defunct Naxos Jazz label. Dave Douglas and Maria Schneider were equally impressed, since they used McCaslin in their groups and on their recordings. I was particularly in awe of his trio cd Recommmended Tools of 2008, which is one of thé most astonishing saxophone trio-cd's of recent years.
This one is very different, because of the (modest) use of electric instruments, be it a Fender Rhodes, with some strong but quite dry basslines by Tim Lefebvre (he never slaps) and some sparingly used electronics added by David Binney (who also plays alto saxophone on one track).
Donny McCaslin is a real powerhouse on his tenorsaxophone,  his virtuosity is really amazing. But it serves the music right (he wrote most of the compositions himself). The music sounds like a 21st century version of jazzrock, in the best meaning of the word. Enjoy it!
Peter