There is a voice in the wilderness appeal to James Brandon Lewis. Here with the core group of cellist Chris Hoffman and drummer Max Jaffe on an album largely made up of originals of the American's plus a version of Cecil Taylor's 'Womb Water' and the very moving 'Fear Not' with The Messthetics. Superlatives are inadequate on this latest spiritual jazz statement of statements all of which are concise and more focused curatorially than some of his work for the Intakt label.
Eye of I crucially includes a very passionate, convincing, treatment of the Donny Hathaway classic 'Someday We'll All Be Free' (Extension of a Man, Atco, 1973). Over the last few years few have come close to what Lewis is achieving - he is the voice of freedom on the saxophone today and above all has something startlingly vital even punk to say when words are simply not enough and the anarchy of humane uncensored expression is all. Out today. James Brandon Lewis, photo: Anti
- MARLBANK ALBUM OF THE WEEK
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