Brand New World
Brand New Worldis rife with the sound of a 24-year old saxophonist bursting out of the gate with an incisively sharp, mostly straight-ahead debut. Greene recallsDexter GordonandJackie McLeanwith an acrid, slightly nasal tone and phrases stitched of angular note clusters. More vibrant on tenor than soprano and more compelling on uptempo numbers than ballads, Greene possesses an already auspicious talent that hasn't come close to its potential. Among Greene's six New York-scene peers onBrand New World, pianist Aaron Goldberg (whoseTurning Pointmade a strong showing in 1999) offers sensitive accompaniment on the plaintive "Never Let Me Go" and gooses the energy level upward with some old-schoolish Rhodes synthesizer on "Arise!" and "Dream, Little Boy, Dream." Greene's stint withHorace Silverno doubt bolstered the funky syncopation of the latter track. And his time with galvanizing timekeepers like Lewis Nash and Akira Tana surely contributes to Greene's affinity with drummer Eric McPherson and the rhythmic flair that suffuses all ofBrand New World.--Britt Robson