Point of Arrival

The Music of Mark Lipson

Jack Dryden, bass; Gary Schunk, piano and synthesizer; Tom Starr, drums; John Wojciechowski, tenor, alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Rayse Biggs, trumpet and flugelhorn; Larry Fratangelo, percussion; Mark Lipson, percussion

Michigan drummer Mark Lipson produced and wrote all eight tracks in what appears to be his debut album. He is not a man to foist endless drum solos on us either, preferring a supporting role and leaving the weight of the improvisations to the piano of Gary Schunk, the various saxophones of John Wojciechowski and the trumpet and flugel of Rayse Biggs. This is straight ahead Jazz, with strong improvisation from the front line; particularly good is the piano of Gary Schunk and some fine flute playing from John Wojciechowski. I thought "Montefiore" a good track but there is no one track that stands out in particular. In the final piece "Beauty's Path", someone does have a bit of a bash on the drums. The album is a tentative start; maybe a more harmonic interchange between the front line would add more color and interest.

Ferdinand Maylin

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