submitted on Tue, 10/07/2008 - 06:05 in Jazz Group by Mike_Longo 
German-born bassist Martin Wind has had an extensive career as a sideman. His fourth CD as a leader (and third for Challenge) is his best effort to date, featuring pianist Bill Cunliffe, multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson (who restricts himself to only three here) and drummer Greg Hutchinson.
Most of the CD focuses on Wind’s striking originals. “Remember Oct. 13th” salutes the birthday of the late great bassist Ray Brown, though its unusual blending of arco bass with Robinson’s vocal-like bass clarinet nods in the direction of Eric Dolphy as well. The constantly shifting “Mr. Friesen” salutes the virtuoso cellist Eugene Friesen (a long time member of the Paul Winter Consort) and is another potent feature for Robinson’s bass clarinet, with Wind playing both pizzicato and arco, a postbop vehicle with a Latin undercurrent. The intimate, impressionistic ballad “The Dream” showcases Cunliffe, Robinson (on tenor sax) and the leader, with a late shift into a bossa nova setting near its conclusion. The title of “The Cruise Blues” is a bit misleading, as it is a lush feature for Robinson, who seems to be channeling Stan Getz on his tenor...
Source: allaboutjazz
Author: Ken Dryden
