JD Allen's 13th album marks a return to no-frills sax-and-rhythm piano-free jazz. The saxophonist's peppery warmth and tonal inflections recall Rollins in his preretirement prime and a new rhythm section is similarly rooted in late 1950s modern jazz Ian Kenselaar plays the holding role on double-bass and, for the most part, leaves dialogue and decoration to drummer Nic Cacioppo. In contrast, Allen's lines are delivered with sharply observed contemporary punch and focus, unfolding like pithy epigrams with a force that makes listeners take note. “These vehicles of expression fit the bill for me to have a good scream and cry”, he says on the sleeve. No signs of lashing out or despair here though, more an underlying disciplined fury delivered control and a refusal to put affection and community aside. The set opens with the title-track, named after Zora Neale Hurston's book of the same name. Here, lines leap playfully from key to key and the track rides out with acres of space. ‘G Sus’ is built over skitters of drums and on ‘The Goldilocks Zone’ the band digs in - later ‘Beyond the Goldilocks Zone’ is a phonic-tinted dialogue for sax and drums. The contemplative ‘EYE Scream’, the nearest thing to a ballad, progresses at a slow medium pace and ‘Ursa Major’ is speedy without breaking sweat. The band have a strong collective vibe, and bass and drums step up when required. But Allen's tightly articulated twists and tones are the main focus, delivered with intellectual rigour and warmed by bluesy asides. The set finishes with Allen at his most Rollins-like on ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’, the album's only cover.