Interest in Jimmy Giuffre in the past year has undergone something of a revival. The Dave Douglas/Chet Doxas-led Riverside group took the theme of the timeless music of clarinettist/saxophonist Giuffre (1921-2008) and ran with it, even featuring the presence of Steve Swallow, a member of the Jimmy Giuffre 3, for added authenticity. This current revival has also seen the release of previously unreleased recordings of Giuffre’s dating back to 1965.

And that interest shows no signs of abating with the release in late-April of Spring Rain (Whirlwind) Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser’s new quartet album exhibiting all the tell-tale signs of another highly original tribute to Giuffre.

Blaser is ostensibly a free-jazz player by instinct with a considerable reputation gained internationally through extensive gigging and numerous releases and he is joined on this album by pianist Russ Lossing, bassist Drew Gress, and by drummer Gerald Cleaver. “Artistically directed” by Robert Sadin, the distinguished producer and arranger of Herbie Hancock’s Gershwin’s World, Blaser makes connections spanning in and out of Giuffre’s soundworld from Ellington to Bartók and beyond commenting on his hopes for the project: “I want people to know that there is jazz, blues, classical music, beautiful melodies and no boundaries.” SG