Sometimes the group is stronger than the individuals. That was always true for Horizon, the formidable quintet put together by saxman Bobby Watson and drummer Victor Lewis in the 1980's and 90's, which produced constantly strong albums for Columbia and Evidence. While Watson and Lewis were able to create strong individual personae, nothing either did (with the possible exception of work Watson did on the Owl label) was able to surpass the breadth and depth of Horizon's repertoire. So when the group rejoined for this latest album, it was with surprise and curiosity that I engaged with it. What emerged was better than could be expected, given the near decade between recordings. The album has an energy and freshness missing from a lot of releases. It's almost as though the guys have been saving tunes over the years just for this effort. Trumpet player Terell Stafford, having kept his chops in tune in various settings for European labels, seems to have a new life here--his solos have a vibrancy and pace not heard for a while. Both pianist Edward Simon and bassist Essiet Essiet have been among the finest session players; they seem to revel within this new material. Lewis has always been a favored percussionist; here he is recorded well (kudos to Matt Balitsaris at Maggie's Farm) and shows much more energy and dexterity than in recent sessions. He and Watson always had exquisite ears and rhythm sense (always with an exotic touch), and this new disc rewards with each listening. I hope they tour a lot this year.
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