One of the most adventurous and distinguished British jazz composers, Graham Collier appropriately cites Charles Mingus, Gil Evans and Duke Ellington as mentors, even as he makes his own brief (on his website, jazzcontinuum.com, and on collections such as this one) for a separate identity for European jazz. The double-disc, directing 14 Jackson Pollocks (the title is a creative nod to the 14 musicians in the ensemble) is both more formally Euro-classical and more raucous than Mingus-Evans-Ellington. There are multiple layers almost constantly at play among the horn-heavy band, and their parts dovetail, fit tongue-in-groove, and collide in nearly equal measure.

It's generally a good sign for the composer when the longest piece is also the most satisfying, and "The Vonetta Factor" qualifies, with more than 21 minutes spent on at least four movements, including tuba and trombone eruptions, a rather sudden textural makeover to electronics and vibes/chimes, a dreamy bout featuring flute and piano, and a spirited sax scrum near the finish. The juxtapositions and arc of the piece make more sense through your speakers than they do on paper.

At the risk of being too simplistic, the more cacophonous, non-linear and "avant garde" stuff is more pronounced… read more »