Waltz Again

In one of the most unusual, creative jazz releases of 2005, vastly underappreciated tenor saxophonist David Murray delivers this compelling quartet and 10-piece string section symphonic jazz outing. Recorded in 2002 but just now hitting stories, the disc showcases Murray experimenting with the ebb and flow of string swells, such as on the joyfully mysterious "Dark Secrets," where the sax streams with the strings, plays counterpoint to them and then soars over their lush crescendoes. The highlight is the 26-minute "Pushkin Suite #1," a seven-movement epic that rivets and calms. Murray reveals his multifaceted saxophone personality here, opening with harsh honks, then continuing with buoyant slap-tongue blats, playful swings, wistful romancing and urgent post-bop flails. While the prolific Paris-based Murray has recorded widely, his august delving into orchestral jazz on "Waltz Again" marks his highest recent triumph. —Dan Ouellette