Guided Tour (feat. The New Gary Burton Quartet)

Vibraphonist and band leader Gary Burton has been crafting fine albums for decades. In 2012, The New Gary Burton Quartet released its debut, Common Ground, garnering critical praise. The band’s second effort, Guided Tour, features the same lineup as its predecessor: Burton, young guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Antonio Sanchez. As on the first release, all of the band members contribute compositions. Sanchez’s “Caminos” gracefully fuses darting prog-rock with more easygoing sounds, and the unusual drum solo delights. Burton’s tango-flavored “Remembering Tano” pays tribute to the late Astor Piazzolla, with whom the vibraphonist often collaborated. Fred Hersch's aptly titled “Jackalope” moves in springy ways as Burton spins out bluesy phrases and lets loose angular lines. (Lage dazzles on the cut.) A rendering of the standard “Once Upon a Summertime,” which features some nice arco work from Colley, is performed with great feeling. Guided Tour wraps up with Sanchez's “Monkfish,” where the various band members step into the spotlight. And it’s a pleasure to hear Lage bring Monk-like dissonance to the theme.