
For his 10th album, Ben Allison captures 'a musical conversation in flux,' putting his own spin on some personal favorites. Says NPR on First Listen: 'When you get jazz-trained musicians to 'cover' a tune, they'll use it as an excuse to channel their individual imaginations. Action-Refraction is a great example: It ambles and shreds; it's carefully arranged, but full of improvisatory zeal. It's got an experimental edge, but in a familiar and fun rather than abstruse way. It's a covers album, but also a Ben Allison album. Happily, neither one trumps the other.'