Big Ball

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In a way, this is a difficult recording on which to get a handle, primarily because of its diversity. Many of the tracks have the feel of chamber jazz, but several others are wildly exuberant. Leader and drummer Lucas Niggli calls his group Big Zoom and that description aptly describes the rapid-fire portions of his composition "Big Boll," a sometimes upbeat fast-paced thriller that skips forward like a Monk-tinged Dionysian dance. Niggli's role is mostly that of director: He writes the tunes, arranges them, and guides the group. When he lets loose, as on "Usato (Ma Non Troppo)," he shows off some magnificent chops. Trombonist Nils Wogram's many solos, with their hard bop alacrity, are a highlight of the disc. He shines with great range, from just below the clef to the upper registers, and occasionally growls and even sprays a few multi-phonics. Claudio Puntin also does a decent job on clarinet with some Klezmer-laced lines, and, although he might lack the visionary focus of a Louis Sclavis, Puntin impresses with fine technique on "Phoenix" and elsewhere. Not everything clicks, and there are lapses on the slower numbers, but even in those instances there is almost something special just around the corner. Niggli enjoys toying with tempos, and changes occur subtly within pieces. Without a piano, Philipp Schaufelberger's electric guitar steps to the plate, but it is the horns and drums that leave the strongest mark.

© Steven Loewy /TiVo