*** 8 Bold Souls

LAST OPTION

(Thrill Jockey)

This octet led by Chicago saxophonist/composer Ed Wilkerson is one of the wittiest and most engaging new-jazz ensembles going. The unusual instrumentation -- two reeds, two brass, cello, bass, tuba, and drums -- provides a distinctive, bottom-heavy edge, and Wilkerson's compositions accentuate that without skimping on melody or rhythmic drive.

Last Option, the first 8 Bold Souls release in several years, offers Wilkerson's cagy take on a wide range of influences that are finding their way into jazz today. "Third One Smiles" alternates between New Orleans funk and straight-ahead swing; "Last Option" incorporates Middle European scales and odd meters; "Gang of Four" has a decidedly Oriental feel. But there's a refreshing lack of outright appropriation or literal transcription -- if the music doesn't feel eclectic or postmodern, that's because of the integrity and organic strength of Wilkerson's writing. The line-up itself represents a damn near perfect jazz ensemble: it makes Wilkerson's tunes sound like spontaneous outpourings rather than the elegantly crafted jewels they actually are, and the soloists meet the special demands of each composition without sacrificing their individual voices. Highlights include Mwata Bowden's jagged clarinet solo on "Odyssey," the lyrical heat of Robert Griffin's trumpet and Naomi Millender's cello on "Gang of Four," bassist Harrison Bankhead's tour-de-force feature on "The Art of Tea," and Wilkerson's own fusion of burly swing-era sonorities and jittery modern rhythms on "Brown Town." But overall, 8 Bold Souls make their mark as an ensemble that respects form while pushing limits.

-- Ed Hazell