It's been four long years since British composer and saxophonist John Surman issued a new recording for his longtime home label, ECM. In a loose way, The Spaces in Between is the mirror image of 2003'sFree and Equal, recorded with drummerJack DeJohnetteand theLondon Brass(though that record was a mirror of the first teaming of Surman with his longtime collaborator, double bassistChris Laurenceand the then-newTrans4mation String Quartet). Surman has been writing, arranging for, and performing withTrans4mationsince that time. WhereasCoruscatingwas far more formal in structure, and its textures and colorings plotted in advance, here there are more opportunities for the strings to improvise and add more freely to the mix. There is a beauty in this, as Surman revisits and reconstructs pieces that go all the way back to his Dawn years with the opening track "Moonlighter." Don't expect to be able to recognize this one from its former incarnation. The earlier band, in whichJohn McLaughlinandDave Hollandplayed roles, was a much more fiery ensemble -- at a much louder volume -- for whom improvisation was the true prize. Here, the true treasure of the relatively spare melody Surman composed is worked from the ground up with restrained elegance byTransmation, andLaurence's role is one of being a contrapuntal ballast for the saxophonist who plays baritone in a decidedly non post-Coltranemanner....Read More...