Jeff Cosgrove, Scott Robinson, Ken Filiano, Hunters & Scavengers (Grizzley Music)
Drummer Cosgrove gets composer credit for all but one of the ten pieces in this collection. The exception is Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman,†the album closer. Coleman, of course, was a pioneer of free improvisation in modern jazz. For their adventurousness and interactive chance-taking, tenor saxophonist Robinson and bassist Filiano deserve equal credit because to a large extent this is improvisation as composition, or vice versa. In other words, it’s free jazz that extends the Coleman tradition. Cosgrove is a protégé of Paul Motian, the Bill Evans Trio drummer who, with pianist Evans and bassist Scott LaFaro, was central to liberating rhythm sections from the tyranny of strict time. Highlights include Robinson’s excursions into the tenor’s altissimo range, Filiano’s beautifully articulated bowing and in “Rays Of Dawn,†Cosgrove’s quiet cymbal splashes and brush work. This album rewards total concentration by the listener.