Janice Finlay - Anywhere But Here (2011)

I really enjoyed Janice Finlay's debut album, "She's Hip," a saxophonist from Winnipeg, Canada. It was entertaining from the very title: anything but "trendy," it contained excellent bop that seemed literally lifted from another era. But that was almost ten years ago. In the meantime, her reed has appeared on various stages, even outside the jazz scene, following a busy schedule. These experiences are reflected in this return, fifteen years after her debut.

To be fair, "The Houston Shuffle," the quintet's rousing post-bop opening track, suggests the album picks up right where the previous album left off, but as the album progresses, it becomes clear they're trying to raise the bar. The results are mixed: while the exotic nuances of the title track, led by a lively flute played by Janice herself, are very good, the rest of the album drifts between a few uninspired ballads (with the exception of a good reworking of "Bye Bye Blackbird," the only non-original on the program) and moments where the sax isn't scratchy and instead takes things with a slightly relentless pace, as if trying to create a sort of bop that even lovers of softer, more "lounge-like" sounds can enjoy. No big deal: the best new addition comes at the end, in the 16-minute "A Harbinger of Swing to Come," a complex two-movement composition the musician conceived a few years ago for the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra. The opening, between bop and swing splashes, once again reveals Finlay at her best, definitively confirming that versatility that in other moments had not entirely convinced, while the second, calmer movement concludes the work with class.

Ultimately, it's certainly not a flawless return, but the highlights are worth the wait: if you think it might be your cup of tea, giving it a chance wouldn't be a bad idea. ~(Nico Toscani)