***1/2 Maria Schneider Orchestra

ALLÉGRESSE

(Enja)

The defunct Maria Schneider's ravishing compositions don't bang you on the head with big-band flag waving -- they coax you in with their sensuous harmonies and rhythms and a sense of restrained power, then they pull you along with the promise of their unfolding beauty. Compositions like "Hang Gliding" and "Allégresse" develop like well-considered improvisations, their short, catchy phrases slowly accumulating and climaxing with long, luscious melodies. Large in scale but intimate in their appeal, they invite you to listen for the details in orchestration (Schneider worked with jazz composer Gil Evans for the last three years of his life, and it shows), delight you with the mounting excitement of the soloists, surprise you with dramatic twists and turns. The emotional weight of each section -- from ominous anticipation to affirmative celebration to melancholic resignation -- guarantees attention from beginning to end. Pianist Frank Kimbrough plays with great sensitivity on "Nocturne"; tenor-saxophonist Rick Margitza brings "Hang Gliding" to an exhilarating conclusion; soprano-saxophonist Tim Ries moves from mystery and restraint to boiling intensity on "Dissolution" (which clocks in at over 20 minutes but feels much shorter). But the orchestra is the star. Precise without being stiff, this outfit has the dynamic balance and ensemble clarity to bring out the details and nuances in Schneider's compelling writing.

-- Ed Hazell