Ultraviolet

An early fixture of the live shows that Scottie McNiece booked in Chicago prior to co-founding International Anthem, alto sax player Mazzarella’s trio subsequently released one of the label’s earliest visionary statements in Ultraviolet. Described by the label as “a thoughtful elaboration of formal free jazz,” it’s a collection of performances that can go from familiar modes to surprising diversions in an instant: opener “Neutron Star” lets the exclamation points fly like Jackie McLean in its post-bop outbursts, and his phrasing on “Outlier” and “Fossil” is only matched in its disarmingly disorienting flightiness by his unfettered intensity. The rhythm section keeps the dynamic conversational, too; Frank Rosaly’s palpitating explosions behind the drum kit and Anton Hatwich’s scattered-thundershower bass runs blister in the solo spotlight but cohere even more powerfully when they ricochet off Mazzarella’s rapidfire fusillades.