Sean Imboden Large Ensemble delivers further evidence of mastery

Master of intricate but clarifying arrangements for big band, tenor saxophonist-composer

 Sean Imboden ranges over a wide emotional and sonic landscape in "Communal Heart."

Scheduled for release on April 26, the new recording is hard to summarize briefly, but two neighboring tracks in the middle can be described to give some idea of the music's expanse, and the outstanding quality of the Sean Imboden Large Ensemble (SILE). 

Sean Imboden builds his band's fine book.

"Certified Organic," whose title suggests both authenticity and unabashed virtue-signaling, moves quickly into attitude with trombone-section moans and edgy, repeated notes. Joel Tucker lays down a scorched-earth guitar solo, and with a key change, the kind of shift Imboden is fond of; John Raymond remains pesticide-free and nurturing in his trumpet solo, yielding finally to an ensemble climax that's lent extra energy by Cassius Goens' drums.

Imboden steers clear of sentimentality in the ballad feature that follows, "Someone to Watch Over Us." It makes an apt showcase for saxophonist Matt Pivec's solo, after which the ensemble, with a chorale-like texture, becomes almost prayerful. Because Imboden uses his excellent band so conscientiously, such passages don't stand out as eccentric.

When Imboden elaborates a riff, it can become heavy and insistent without turning formulaic. One of those complements the slightly "out" sax solo by Mark O'Connor in "Portal Passage," which ends the program. Further on, there are alternating solo statements by Evan Drybread, baritone sax, and Kent Hickey, trumpet, before Chris Pitts' piano ends alone, musing aloud but at peace with everything that preceded it.

You are likely to be quickly charmed by the first track, "Fire Spirit," with its shifting key centers and the way Imboden stirs the embers into flame halfway through.  The fire is banked but still lends heat behind trumpet and tenor sax solos by John Raymond and Imboden, respectively.

Treble-led textures characterize "Dance of Inquiry," with flute and soprano sax leading. Imboden as arranger comes up with a suitable countermelody below. The deft soloing is entrusted to Andrew Danforth (trombone) and the bandleader, picking up the straight horn (soprano).

The excellence of this music, and the expertise displayed throughout, stirs the wish that somehow this band should be able to tour. That's probably a long shot, given the well-placed performing and teaching obligations SILE members have around here. But I suspect such originals and the way they are executed on "Communal Heart" would travel well anywhere.