Despite being one of the most sought-after saxophonists in the UK, Alex Garnett waited until he was 40 to release an album as a leader. This successor to 2011’s Serpent displays a similarly expert affection for hard bop on some brisk and wily original themes, alongside some quivering Stan Getzian balladeering – but this time Garnett’s group includes New York saxophonist Tim Armacost in a series of virtuosic two-tenor conversations backed by Liam Noble (piano), Michael Janisch (bass) and James Maddren (drums). The leader’s dark, almost baritone-like tone and Armacost’s lighter sound establish plenty of intrigue: they often solo in turn and then swoop around each other in graceful counterpoint. The soft Latin groove of the title track, the hurtling hard bop of Delusions of Grandma or the rapturous Getz tribute Early Autumn typify a shrewd balance of strong composition and improv, and the rhythm section is immaculate. Serpent was a hard act to follow, but Garnett has nailed it, and without repeating himself.
