From the Downtown Music Gallery Newsletter, September 27th, 2007 (NYC) PETER VAN HUFFEL QUINTET - Silvester Battlefield (Fresh Sound New Talent 290; Spain) Featuring Peter Van Huffel on alto & soprano saxes & (all but one) compositions, Scott DuBois on guitar, Jesse Stacken on piano, Michael Bates on bass and Jeff Davis on drums. This is former Canadian-based saxist, Peter Van Huffel's second disc and he has brought together an impressive downtown crew. Scott DuBois is one of the best and most adventurous jazz guitarists in NY at present with two superb discs out on Soul Note. Another former Canadian-born musician, Michael Bates also has two fine discs out. Local drum wiz, Jeff Davis, can be heard on both discs by his wife & pianist Kris Davis, as well as with Tony Malaby in Tone Collector and a recent Black Sabbath jazz tribute. I hadn't heard of Jesse Stacken before this, although he wrote the only other song not written by Van Huffel. “Closed Tight" opens with tight and difficult theme, followed by spirited solos from the piano and tenor sax, What I dig about this piece is the way the rhythm team swings tightly and flexibly as each soloist spins his lines of notes. "Delirium" shows how the piano and guitar swirl together in tight, intricate formation while Huffel sails on top. After a short but inspired bass solo the quintet slows down to a lovely, ballad-like section with sublime piano, guitar and sax interplay that builds to hypnotic dream-like conclusion. Mr. Stacken's one tune is called "Good Mornings" and it features some superb contrabass from Mr. Bates, with a lovely, dreamy melody played exquisitely by the soprano, guitar and piano in a poignant harmony. Although "The Traveler" begins freely and spaciously, it soon hits its stride with a powerful two-handed piano solo and then it concludes with slow, eerie guitar solo. The title piece opens with a great free bowed bass and tenor sax duo, yet then builds into a fast, furious piece the continues to ascend higher and higher until it fades into the sky. What is most interesting is that most of these pieces start one way and then turn into something unexpected. "Luminescence" begins slow and haunting but soon builds into a more intense, free-swinging piece. On the final piece, the dynamic rhythm team flows together in tight waves while Scott takes a great guitar solo that is followed by another spirited tenor solo from Peter. It never to amaze me when an under-recognized gem like this turns out to be one of the year's best.
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