Featuring multi-reeds wizard Michael Marcus on b-flat clarinet and Ted Daniel on trumpet, flugel, bugle and cornet. Michael Marcus and Ted Daniel have been collaborating for over 20 years, going back to Michael's first two discs on Soul Note and Enja. A clarinet and trumpet duo might seem like an unusual idea, but not in the hands of these two giants. Michael wrote about half of the thirteen tracks with three by Ted and four collective pieces. After opening with a quirky theme, both players solo simultaneously and spin notes around one another intensely. Although there is no rhythm section on this disc, it doesn't hold these guys back from creating focused structures with rhythmic parts and angular harmonies. I like the way Ted's muted horn sounds on "Dark Sun" as both create unique harmonies together. Many of these are well written with inspired solos in the center and each provides a different challenge as far as the structure. There is one trumpet solo and one clarinet solo and both are splendid, showing a variety of different sounds and approaches to their distinctive talents. This disc seems to be coming from the AACM side approach of playing extended sounds in unusual combinations, only referring to jazz in distant ways. A marvelous duo that is taking a chance and succeeding at the same time.
ARTISTS Michael Marcus (clarinets); Ted Daniel (brass)