Backed by a stellar band that features such fine players as Brian Blade on drums and Brad Mehldau on piano, this sax player is given a daunting set-up on In This World. Thankfully, the promise pays off with a host of fine originals and a couple of surprising covers. Perhaps the most commendable aspect of Mark Turner’s talent is his combination of melodic adventure and rich phrasing. “Mesa,” the album’s opening track, meanders from a relaxed melodic path to a switch-back road of surprises. And the closing rendition of the Beatles classic “She Said, She Said” is a deceptively breezy journey into the unknown. A fine horn voice in good form. – Tim Sheridan
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