AntonJazz

Academia is helping produce a steady stream of young jazz artists. Anton Schwartz attended Harvard in the late '80s and played first tenor in its jazz band just after Don Braden and just before Joshua Redman. He also studied with Warne Marsh and Eddie Daniels. The results are a healthy tone, clear articulation and an understanding of composition that yields this program of eight originals (plus two standards). "Rabbit Days" hops from chord to chord every three beats, but everyone keeps his footing admirably. There's a catchy, funky treatment of "Where or When," spiced with Josh Jones's congas. "Tidepool" is a Shorteresque Afro-Cuban vamp, "Poketown" a steamy film-noir ballad. Sonny Rollins's "Doxy" is dressed in hip-hop baggie drawers as "Paradoxy." This is a young player/writer who by his own description is "...not a fiery, scorching New York-type saxophonist. My playing has more in common with a Dexter Gordon or a Wayne Shorter." His work here is abetted by pianist Paul Nagel, bassist John Shifflett and drummer Jason Lewis, an ensemble that shares a well-schooled respect for the jazz tradition.

-- Richard Simon