Vancouver saxophonist Coat Cooke has always been in full control of his horn and is capable of great heights of creativity. He leads the NOW Orchestra and is extremely active in many parts of the Canadian music community. But few projects have given him, as this one does, the freedom to express the full breadth of his artistry. Poole, one of Vancouver’s first-call drummers, here gives Cooke the solid yet sensitive foundation that allows him to soar. This is their first outing together, and it’s a fruitful one. The CD is full of listening, perhaps even more so than playing, and in the music world, that is a high compliment. The music on this CD possesses a rare clarity of expression such as comes only with years of paring music down to its essence. Although clearly free improv, the playing is not subject to the self-absorbed clichés that plague that genre. Instead, it bursts with life, creativity, and discovery.
