Apparently there comes a time when avant garde tenor saxophonists turn into Coleman Hawkins. They don't become slavish imitators, but although exploratory impulses remain, swing, melody and a deeper sound become paramount. That transformation first affected Archie Shepp, who transitioned to blues and ballads by the late 20th century. Now the same metamorphosis has affected David Murray. Unlike Shepp, who arguably changed to mask a failing lip, Murray's skill is still on full display and Francesca is a high-quality mainstream release. One reason for that is the New York-based saxophonist-bass clarinetist (who returned to NYC in 2016) surrounds himself with younger, accomplished musicians, as heard in the last few years on tour and on the quartet's new album: Marta Sanchez (piano), Luke Stewart (bass) and Russell Carter (drums).

Murray also continues to play bass clarinet, and on "Richard's Tune" he takes out that horn and balances chalumeau burps and clarion squeaks. Interestingly enough, the Don Pullen composition, which also features Sanchez' leaping piano chording and Stewart's slithering double bass thumps, mixes wallowing reed scoops and vibrations plus what seems to be a contrafact of "Jitterbug Waltz". On tenor, the passion and power Murray has always displayed is still upfront, alongside slurs, splashes and smears -sometimes expressed unaccompanied -as on the title track. More often than not he plays in tandem with Sanchez' keyboard bounces and swirls, measured drum smacks that take on bop and Latin articulations and occasionally the bassist's string slides. Among the allusions, Murray's expositions encompass interludes where he stutters, swallows and stings tones into expanded doits that meet piano stops and trade fours with the drummer as on "Am Gone Get Some". Torque linear altissimo motions into clenched snorts speed up as they squeal into a nearly endless exposition on "Come And Go". Murray also ups the excitement as constant overblowing and triple tonguing introduce Carter's ruffs and cracks on "Cycles and Seasons". Throughout the album foot-tapping rhythms mostly recap the heads.

Francesca can be heard as one of the most outside mainstream albums or, conversely, the most inside avant garde session. And it can and should be appreciated by those who favor one or both of these genres.

Apparently there comes a time when avant garde tenor saxophonists turn into Coleman Hawkins. They don't become slavish imitators, but although exploratory impulses remain, swing, melody and a deeper sound become paramount. That transformation first affected Archie Shepp, who transitioned to blues and ballads by the late 20th century. Now the same metamorphosis has affected David Murray. Unlike Shepp, who arguably changed to mask a failing lip, Murray's skill is still on full display and Francesca is a high-quality mainstream release. One reason for that is the New York-based saxophonist-bass clarinetist (who returned to NYC in 2016) surrounds himself with younger, accomplished musicians, as heard in the last few years on tour and on the quartet's new album: Marta Sanchez (piano), Luke Stewart (bass) and Russell Carter (drums).

Murray also continues to play bass clarinet, and on "Richard's Tune" he takes out that horn and balances chalumeau burps and clarion squeaks. Interestingly enough, the Don Pullen composition, which also features Sanchez' leaping piano chording and Stewart's slithering double bass thumps, mixes wallowing reed scoops and vibrations plus what seems to be a contrafact of "Jitterbug Waltz". On tenor, the passion and power Murray has always displayed is still upfront, alongside slurs, splashes and smears -sometimes expressed unaccompanied -as on the title track. More often than not he plays in tandem with Sanchez' keyboard bounces and swirls, measured drum smacks that take on bop and Latin articulations and occasionally the bassist's string slides. Among the allusions, Murray's expositions encompass interludes where he stutters, swallows and stings tones into expanded doits that meet piano stops and trade fours with the drummer as on "Am Gone Get Some". Torque linear altissimo motions into clenched snorts speed up as they squeal into a nearly endless exposition on "Come And Go". Murray also ups the excitement as constant overblowing and triple tonguing introduce Carter's ruffs and cracks on "Cycles and Seasons". Throughout the album foot-tapping rhythms mostly recap the heads.

Francesca can be heard as one of the most outside mainstream albums or, conversely, the most inside avant garde session. And it can and should be appreciated by those who favor one or both of these genres.