Rachel Martin

Steve Lehman, who studied with Braxton at Wesleyan, then played with him for nearly a decade, has created a smart ensemble. riveting tribute to his mentor, the music of Anthony Braxton, by focusing on his early compositions, tunes that are a cornerstone of his formidable reputation.

We just heard their take on a piece called 34A that showcases the composer's penchant for horn lines that coil like an Escher drawing. This is an ordinary tribute by Lehman. In addition to music by Braxton, Lehman includes two of his own paeans to his mentor. Lehman has followed Braxton's example in accepting no conventional limits.

We just heard their take on a piece called 34A that showcases the composer's penchant for horn lines that coil like an Escher drawing. This is an ordinary tribute by Lehman. In addition to music by Braxton, Lehman includes two of his own paeans to his mentor. Lehman has followed Braxton's example in accepting no conventional limits.

We just heard their take on a piece called 34A that showcases the composer's penchant for horn lines that coil like an Escher drawing. This is an ordinary tribute by Lehman. In addition to music by Braxton, Lehman includes two of his own paeans to his mentor. Lehman has followed Braxton's example in accepting no conventional limits.

His catalog includes covers of Otecker and Wu-Tang Clan, his superb octet integrates spectral music, and he co-leads Cele Bayon, a hip-hop fusion project with H Prism of Andy Pop Consortium and Senegalese rapper Gaston Bandemic. A unifying theme in Lehman's varied music is force.

His catalog includes covers of Otecker and Wu-Tang Clan, his superb octet integrates spectral music, and he co-leads Cele Bayon, a hip-hop fusion project with H Prism of Andy Pop Consortium and Senegalese rapper Gaston Bandemic. A unifying theme in Lehman's varied music is force.

His catalog includes covers of Otecker and Wu-Tang Clan, his superb octet integrates spectral music, and he co-leads Cele Bayon, a hip-hop fusion project with H Prism of Andy Pop Consortium and Senegalese rapper Gaston Bandemic. A unifying theme in Lehman's varied music is force.

There's a relentless urgency to his saxophone, perhaps the impact of his other key influence, saxophone's Jackie McLean. So it's no surprise that he recorded this music live at the ETA Club in Los Angeles, where Lehman presently lives. It's an implicit rebuke to those who think Anthony's music is dry and academic.

There's a relentless urgency to his saxophone, perhaps the impact of his other key influence, saxophone's Jackie McLean. So it's no surprise that he recorded this music live at the ETA Club in Los Angeles, where Lehman presently lives. It's an implicit rebuke to those who think Anthony's music is dry and academic.

There's a relentless urgency to his saxophone, perhaps the impact of his other key influence, saxophone's Jackie McLean. So it's no surprise that he recorded this music live at the ETA Club in Los Angeles, where Lehman presently lives. It's an implicit rebuke to those who think Anthony's music is dry and academic.

There's a roaring crowd after each number, sometimes after each solo, and you are there immediacy to the sound. Lehman is working with his regular trio, which features the propulsive bass of Matt Brewer and powerhouse drummer Damian Reed, plus guest saxophonist Mark Turner. The arrangements have a loose-limbed effect. Reed is swinging, Brewer is walking, and the horns play freely.

There's a roaring crowd after each number, sometimes after each solo, and you are there immediacy to the sound. Lehman is working with his regular trio, which features the propulsive bass of Matt Brewer and powerhouse drummer Damian Reed, plus guest saxophonist Mark Turner. The arrangements have a loose-limbed effect. Reed is swinging, Brewer is walking, and the horns play freely.

There's a roaring crowd after each number, sometimes after each solo, and you are there immediacy to the sound. Lehman is working with his regular trio, which features the propulsive bass of Matt Brewer and powerhouse drummer Damian Reed, plus guest saxophonist Mark Turner. The arrangements have a loose-limbed effect. Reed is swinging, Brewer is walking, and the horns play freely.

Turner shares with Braxton an admiration of saxophonist Warren Marsh. Braxton has often honored his roots. He's recorded albums of standards and paid tribute to his heroes like Lenny Tristano, Charlie Parker, Andrew Hill, and Thelonious Monk. Here, Lehman's ensemble does Monk's Tinkle Tinkle with a subtle nod to Anthony as a horn duet starts in abstraction with the tune slowly coming into view.

Turner shares with Braxton an admiration of saxophonist Warren Marsh. Braxton has often honored his roots. He's recorded albums of standards and paid tribute to his heroes like Lenny Tristano, Charlie Parker, Andrew Hill, and Thelonious Monk. Here, Lehman's ensemble does Monk's Tinkle Tinkle with a subtle nod to Anthony as a horn duet starts in abstraction with the tune slowly coming into view.

Turner shares with Braxton an admiration of saxophonist Warren Marsh. Braxton has often honored his roots. He's recorded albums of standards and paid tribute to his heroes like Lenny Tristano, Charlie Parker, Andrew Hill, and Thelonious Monk. Here, Lehman's ensemble does Monk's Tinkle Tinkle with a subtle nod to Anthony as a horn duet starts in abstraction with the tune slowly coming into view.

Lehman was born in New York City in 1978 and spent some of his youth in Paris. Like many of his peers, Jason Moran and Vijay Iyer to name two, he grew up with hip-hop as an established genre and with electronic music as an emerging one. He brings a unique rhythmic acuity into his appreciation of Braxton. He was pointed toward Anthony by his mother.

Lehman was born in New York City in 1978 and spent some of his youth in Paris. Like many of his peers, Jason Moran and Vijay Iyer to name two, he grew up with hip-hop as an established genre and with electronic music as an emerging one. He brings a unique rhythmic acuity into his appreciation of Braxton. He was pointed toward Anthony by his mother.

Lehman was born in New York City in 1978 and spent some of his youth in Paris. Like many of his peers, Jason Moran and Vijay Iyer to name two, he grew up with hip-hop as an established genre and with electronic music as an emerging one. He brings a unique rhythmic acuity into his appreciation of Braxton. He was pointed toward Anthony by his mother.

Braxton was a good advisor for a young musician with wide-ranging interests and clearly inspired Lehman and many others to follow as many of them as possible.