40Twenty
40Twenty
(YEAH YEAH)

Jacob Garchik (trombone), Jacob Sacks (piano), Dave Ambrosio (bass) and Vincent Sperrazza (drums) comprise this jazz collective. While their label, Yeah Yeah Records, asserts its avant-garde approach, this release is inventive but accessible. “Jan 20″ opens with bluesy, off-kilter swing and a Monk-ish feel. Garchik improvises with abandon on his “Gi,” referencing Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.” Sperazza’s “Plainchant” proceeds solemnly, appropriate for a song titled for a style of medieval church music. His “Soon Enough” picks up the pace, with Sacks opening up in a more mainstream modern style, followed by Garchik’s emotive soloing. Ambrosio contributes the final two songs, “One Five” and “MajorEe MinorEe.” The former stretches time with a floating yet grounded expressiveness; the latter ends the disc with allusions to early Ornette Coleman. 40Twenty gigged regularly in Brooklyn before recording, resulting in this coherently innovative debut. — Martin Z. Kasdan Jr.