Belgian inventor Adolphe Sax, the 19th-century mind behind the saxophone, had a childhood so accident-prone his mother feared for his life. He still managed to patent a contrabass clarinet at 20 and then the first saxophone, which traditionalists sneered at for decades before jazz musicians turned it into the expressive equivalent of the classical violin. Joe Lovano's Paramount Quartet continues that proud tradition, making the instrument glow with all its pliable eloquence.
Lovano leads a spirited group including guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Asante Santi Debriano and drummer Will Calhoun (the Living Colour alum) through rattling originals and covers of Charlie Haden and Wayne Shorter. Lovano is a brilliant bebop player and inspired free-improviser, creatively inhabiting classic jazz, global music and European textures. He played Haden's First Song with Bill Frisell long ago; here it returns with a lyrical solo guitar intro from Lage and an exquisite sax theme, spinning into long improv over vaporous guitar chords.