New York bassist Max Johnson expands his piano trio of Kris Davis on piano and Mike Pride on drums with Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, adding an eclectic Western flavor to overall on-point, anchored and driven modern jazz of a high order, balancing lyrical playing with moments of free collective playing, in a beautiful and extraordinary album.

Following Ornette Coleman's 2 horn, bass & drum lineup, Italian/NY drummer Federico Ughi leads his quartet with David Schung (sax), Kirk Knuffke (cornet) & Max Johnson (bass) through 10 Coleman-inspired works of melodic free playing, excellent works of modern jazz.