Joe McPhee - No Greater Love (2000)

Recorded at the same session as In the Spirit (CIMP 199), this recording also features Joe McPhee on soprano saxophone with bassists Michael Bisio and Dominic Duval, with Joe Giarrdullo on soprano sax and bass clarinet. Unlike Spirit, this one is not a concept album; in fact, it includes an odd yet highly attractive assortment of combinations: "Deep Sleep" is a bass duo; "We Just Think It" has the soprano saxes alone; "Deep Sheep" finds McPhee with Duval; and so on. The variety keeps the interest up, but more importantly, it permits each of these virtuosi to stretch -- not in a jam session sort of way -- but in very sophisticated, intimate settings. Some may prefer McPhee's trumpet or tenor sound to that of his soprano, but there is no denying his mastery of the latter. Joe Giardullo is surprisingly supple and subtle, a fine match for McPhee. Most of the tunes are improvised, the exceptions being a touching rendition of "Deep River" and an abstract yet satisfying interpretation of "No Greater Love." While the volume and intensity are toned down a notch from that of some other McPhee excursions, the quality of music is never less than superb.