Plays, 1 Audio-CD

Nicole Glover has been getting some well-deserved exposure recently in the context of groups like the Artemis sextet and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. But this tenor saxophonist is best appreciated on her own albums, where she fronts a saxophone-bass-drums trio. While not a common jazz format, this instrumentation has sired some classic recordings, beginning with a 1945 Commodore record by Don Byas and Slam Stewart (whose foot-tapping qualifies as "drumming"), through classics by Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson and Ornette Coleman, to contemporary trios led by Branford Marsalis and Glover's label mate, JD Allen. Glover's own trio features the rich, full-toned bass of Tyrone Allen and the sensitive, yet propulsive drumming of Kayvon Gordon. A special guest on the recording is vibes master, Steve Nelson, of whom Glover says, "He's incredible to work with because he is just a phenomenal musician...He enhances everything he is a part of." This foundation provides two (or three) streams of sound beneath Glover's improvisations, allowing her complete freedom to be lyrical or driving as she chooses, while maintaining the aural identity of the ensemble.