Center Song (Feat. Ingrid Jensen)

Jazz fans sometimes forget that the music lives all over the world, not just in New York, New Orleans, and the European festival circuit. Multi-reedist Steve Treseler offers a strong reminder of this fact, presenting a young and fresh take on modern jazz by musicians based in the Pacific Northwest. (Even trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, who\'s now based in NYC, has roots in British Columbia.) There’s an intriguing set of influences at work on this set, which is heavy on original material. Songs like “Kary’s Trance” and “Cold Hammered” have a classic bebop feel to them, while others, like “Ultra Tempo (For George Garzone)” and “Abyss,” are short, spontaneous outbursts of energy and tonal color. In between are the free-flowing title track (composed by Jensen) and the gently swaying ballad “At Home (For Kate and Adeline).” The album closes with a cover of “Days Were Golden” by the iconic Seattle indie rock band Sunny Day Real Estate—likely its first jazz rendition. It sounds right at home next to this varied fare.