Elton Dean, Remembrance, 2004

Throughout his life saxophonist Elton Dean had a varied number of associations and styles in which he worked with a sureness and mastery very rare. Whether straight-ahead with Harry Beckett, jazz-rock and beyond with the Soft Machine lineups, or just plain out, he did it all with grace, poise and fire.

As far as the out side is concerned you are well served by a new two-CD set of an unreleased session from 2004, appropriately titled Remembrance (No Business NBCD 59/60). Dean and a very able quartet give us extended outings. Elton plays the alto, the incandescent Paul Dunmall takes up the tenor, Paul Rogers smokes the acoustic bass, and the ever-stoking Tony Bianco gets at the drums.

It's a sort of round-robin set. Paul takes the first number with rhythm, the full quartet goes at it for the second, the rhythm section takes it alone in the third segment and Elton joins them for a trio on the fourth.

It's free-out jazz wall-to-wall with lots of inspiration and fire. It is a testament certainly for Elton's way with this form, but Dunmall, Rogers and Bianco sound fabulous as well.

All I can say is you need to hear this one!