ENG Signal to Noise, James Hale (spring.2010)

On Pan Atlantic, drummer/composer Bobby Previte’s compositions have a funky feel maintaining a sense of forward propulsion even in the quieter passages. Benoit Delbecq’s Fender Rhodes lends a spacey air to the blues expressionism of trombonist Gianluca Petrella and alto and baritone saxophonist Wlofgang Puschnig. The musicians move seamlessly through seven Previte compositions, which evolve in ways that sound surprising yet also inevitable. Petella’s playing has the quality of a human voice, particularly in the muted solo on “Deep Lake”, and he has a gorgeous, pure tone on the open horn, as on the funky “Stay On Path”, where he and Puschnig lock in on the catchy main theme, eventually bringing the piece to a joyous climax. Indeed, the interaction of the horns, whether they’re playing in unison or engaging in call-and-response, stands out throughout the album. Delbecq’s shimmering colors are integral to these compositions: on “The Eternity Clause”, for instance, the keyboard line that introduces the piece is completed by the horns, while on “Destruction Layer” and “Pan Atlantic” his washes of tones form the bed of the composition. Previte’s drumming is tasteful throughout, even restrained, always serving the music’s needs in a delightfully intriguing set.