Although altoist
David Binney is the leader of the quintet on
Out of Airplanes (
Adam Rogers only plays guitar on two numbers), the dominant force is actually
Bill Frisell. Without
Frisell's wide variety of otherworldly sounds and effects, the music would have sounded radically different. The originals alternate between free-form noise, rock-like vamps and introspective ballads, with some selections being all three. Some listeners will find the results invigorating and exciting but then again some may not. A feeling of boredom sets in; of waiting for something to happen by these talented musicians. The sound of the eccentric ensembles is more memorable than any of the themes or the individual selections. With stronger material, this could have been a memorable outing. ~ Scott Yanow