It is not in the nature of the Canadian saxophonist and composer Ben Wendel to just release a new album. For instance, Seasons (2018) was a duet album inspired by Tchaikovsky's The Seasons. Successor High Heart also has an ongoing concept, in which Wendel questions the increasing digitization of the world. To this end, he put together a gifted band with no less than two pianists - on acoustic piano
… and electric Fender Rhodes. But most striking is his choice for vocalist Michael Mayo. He sings along wordlessly, like an instrument; he scats and follows the melody lines of Wendel in particular. In this way he merges into the music, but still leaves his mark on the whole. It gives a classical touch to the supple and often virtuoso post-bop of the band. So supple and lubricated that the music - with all its jubilation and complex, but never really exciting intentions - almost tends towards mainstream. (MR)more
