Ian MacGregor, Jazz Guitar Society of Western Australia
Phil Schurger leads this Chicago based group, and this is his second album under his own name. On the first track “Scorpio”, the sax player finishes his solo and just when you think the track has come to an end, the bass takes a solo, after that Schurger takes his solo eventually moving from 6/4 to 4/4 time and the music gains intensity when they modulate from C minor to E minor. Schurger makes a moticic chordal statement on “Anikulapo” which is a Yoruban word meaning “He who carries death in a pouch”. On “Motion” the band returns to a more modern jazz feeling. “Yoruba” has African and Cuban influences. There are so many different forms of jazz, so if you’re looking for something a little different, this could be for you. All the tunes were composed by Phil Schurger, so check it out, the musicianship is superb.