Alto saxophonist-composer David Binney is also an in-demand producer and runs his own record label Mythology. Over a prolific recording catalogue for more than a couple of decades now, he has been honing his unique twist on contemporary acoustic jazz in largely traditionally-rooted ensemble styles.

That distinguished peers such as Craig Taborn, Brian Blade and Chris Potter, through to Donny McCaslin, Wayne Krantz and Louis Cole, continue to play in his bands is testament to his work’s expressive qualities and the high esteem in which he’s held. But a fairly recent return to his former home in California having been a long-time resident of Brooklyn, Binney this time gathers together a young LA-based acoustic ensemble for his new release Tomorrow’s Journey. There’s certainly nothing traditionally cool or west coast-y about it and the first few compositions are as intense as they come, full of densely-arranged ensemble charts - most over 10 minutes in length and consisting of brass arrangements. Over the course of the recording Binney characteristically draws inspiration from an extensive array of raw material from riff-fuelled alt. rock, electronica, contemporary ‘art’ music through to pan-latin rhythms and avant-bebop but it’s an organic fusion-free mix.

Pungent-sounding harmonies and rhythmic angularity is his signature but his compositions are fuelled by melody. The most gripping improv moments are when Binney trades phrases with a scintillating new prodigy, the pianist Luca Mendoza, for example on the pianist’s contemporary free-bop composition ‘Casa’. ‘Resembler’ is less intense, featuring a stimulating climactic exchange between piano and sax in free-floating post-Coltrane ballad territory. On ‘Cali Culture’ co-written by trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, another of Binney’s close collaborators, and ‘Loved (for cousin Vince)', Binney’s pithy but unsentimental song-like approach and bittersweet, intoxicating alto tone echo the late Lee Konitz.