Clockwise (feat. Matt Mitchell, Jeremy Viner, Jacob Garchik, Christopher Hoffman, Chris Tordini & Ches Smith)

The increasingly prolific New York saxophonist/flutist Anna Webber has a way of evoking controlled chaos in her work. On *Clockwise*, she builds on a strong foundation with bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Ches Smith (who also plays vibraphone and timpani), tying all kinds of musical knots with pianist Matt Mitchell, cellist Christopher Hoffman, and trombonist Jacob Garchik. Intriguingly, she enlists Jeremy Viner, a fellow saxophonist, in addition to herself, layering highly dissonant motifs in hypnotic repeats at the start of “Idiom II.” Viner’s clarinet brings another flavor to the steady groove pattern of “Array,” and his tenor does wonders on the mysterious “Loper.” It’s Webber’s tenor we hear on “Hologram Best” and her bass flute on the title track, hinting at dark, haunting, unknowable secrets. Often tonally abstract yet anchored in rhythmic clarity, with an energy that sometimes rises to crushing fortissimo, Webber’s music is a challenge and a pleasure all at once.