Guitarist Rich Brown is well known as a superb bass player yet on his latest release “Abeng” he’s proving to be an exceptional composer as well. With a first rate band surrounding him, he proceeds to create clever compositions filled with superb soloing as well as incredible ensemble playing. For instance Luis Deniz’s colorful phrasings shine on “Window Seat” and especially on “The Lotus Ascension”. In addition pianist Chris Donnelly Brown’s playing is inventive, melodic and exploratory, specifically on the triumphant finale “Achilles and The Tortoise”. “Chant Of The Exiled (Abeng)” is another standout. The significance of the Abeng is that it is an instrument used by The Maroons (escaped African slvaes) to communicate specific messages throughout their community. In a climate filled with divisiveness Brown expresses his hope for change by pursuing unfamiliar paths. The result is an exciting passage of rhythms and some of Brown’s most exciting work to date.
