Family Ties, Brazilian saxophonist Perelman's previous release, presented a piano-less trio and now this session unveils a bass-less one. It's fascinating to hear both the continuities and contrasts between the two line-ups. Without a bottom end instrument on board one might assume that there would be less darkness and density in the sound palette, but it is quite the opposite, for if Matt Shipp is one thing then it is surely a piano player with bass desires. The lightning speed with which he changes a jangling single note figure into a monumental block chord that is not so much ballast as booster to the music is startling, and the shifting ‘weight’ of the ensemble is a major part of its appeal. Often the horn and piano move starkly to opposite poles, the former to a fluttering upper register and the latter a curdling lower, which essentially casts Cleaver in the role of percussive buffer that is picking up on and enriching the flashes of rhythm around him. He is fast emerging as a contemporary colossus alongside the Watts, Waits and Harlands of this world, and his ability to play with timeand texture with no loss of momentum is superb. Ultimately, the beauty of trio music is the opportunity to hear instruments clearly, as they juggle independence and interconnection. Within a freely improvised setting such as this one, the listener is stimulated by each player's great strength of character and richness of sound, so the big question is do the individual elements cohere? In a piece such as ‘An Angel's Disquiet’, where the synthesis of Perelman's overtones, Shipp's surge across high and low ranges and Cleaver's thunderous halftime syncopations is complete, the answer is a resounding yes.