Glitter Wolf by Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom

New York drummer Allison Miller marks the 10th anniversary of her Boom Tic Boom sextet with an album of original compositions as refined and eccentric as the band itself. With violinist Jenny Scheinman, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, pianist Myra Melford, and bassist Todd Sickafoose, Miller creates beautifully whimsical jazz in which form unfolds like a dream and style is a moving target. Standout tracks on this fourth studio album have a focused theme: “Malaga” features an arrangement so cinematic that the music feels like a drone tour of the Spanish city; “Zev — The Phoenix” juxtaposes a rakish clarinet-driven vamp with introspective piano lyricism to create the mood of a child at play. Along with the LP\'s ubiquitous melody and groove, one of its greatest strengths is the band’s esprit de corps; each improviser is uniquely expressive while looking to a shared musical horizon.

Following two years of extensive touring, drummer Allison Miller brings a sense of road-tested swagger and global inspiration to her fourth Boom Tic Boom album, 2019's vibrant Glitter Wolf.

8 / 10

Composer and drummer Allison Miller plays every kind of music, and she puts a lot of that variety into her band Boom Tic Boom.