Deep Song
Having made a compelling departure into trippy fusion on his last CD,Heartcore, which he produced with hip-hop's Q-Tip, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel returns here to a more familiar post-bop sound, but with no loss of nerve or verve. Joined by a pair of frequent cohorts, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman and pianist Brad Mehldau, he effortlessly moves in and out of the mainstream pocket, thriving on bright unison lines and sighing lyrical constructions. Rosenwinkel is a cerebral player, but with his naturally warm, tangy tone, he readily converts ideas to emotion, adding celestial seasoning to songs including the standard, "If I Should Lose You" with his subtle wordless vocals. It would be nice to hear Redman step out a bit more, but the restraint of the overall performance has its own rewards, setting off Rosenwinkel's own breakaway solos very nicely indeed.--Lloyd  Sachs