Shawn Maxwell – alto saxophone;
Matt Nelson – piano; Bob Lovecchio – bass;
Brandon Dickert – drums.
Recorded 3/13 & 3/20/2011.
Produced by Nick Eipers and Shawn Maxwell. Engineered by Nick Eipers.
“... the noticeable new wrinkles in Maxwell’s studio persona lift his already distinctive playing to another level. You hear this most immediately in the unusual, even striking articulation Maxwell applies to phrase after phrase of his solos on Urban Vigilante... you’ll find that these devices have purpose; they disturb the lines in small but important ways, and it makes a world of difference. “It emphasizes things in a way you don’t usually hear them,” Maxwell explains of his approach to articulation. And when added to his timbre – with its keening bittersweet urgency and swirling overtones and nearly physical presence – these devices help mold an edgy and powerful improvisatory style.
Maxwell’s decision to reveal his real musical self in his solos dovetails with the more adventurous and challenging compositions he unveils on Urban Vigilante... So we get to see the writer, as well as the player, behind the mask.”
- Neil Tesser (from the liner notes)
To Purchase CD: www.chicagosessions.com
