THE HUDSON PROJECT

This is a relatively traditional modern jazz album and a real band effort with each player contributing and pulling their weight equally. It is a tight live performance of the quartet's final show of this well- received tour, "captured as it happened, without any overdubs, to best preserve the unique spirit that comes from real music being performed in front of a live audience", say the notes. Timekeeper extraordinaire Peter Erskine, John Patitucci on upright (and what looks like a seven-string electric) bass, hot sax player Bob Mintzer and the master John Abercrombie do a solid set of classy numbers, in particular the angular 'Labor Day', Erskine's thuding and bouncey march 'Cats + Kittens', the inward and gentle contemplations of Patitucci's 'The Well', and swirling jazz-fusion of the twelve-minute 'Bass Desires'.

Though by electric jazz standards this is a fine album, it does not reflect the colors, feelings and personal expressions of other Abercrombie records. This makes sense as it is a true collaboration between the four musicians, both in the composing and performing, and not an Abercrombie solo release per se. However, it is neither as special as most Abercrombie solo works nor as hot as comparible modern jazz performances and though a terrific show, won't cause the hair on your neck to stand up at any given point. A regretful two stars.