Have you ever incurred the wrath of New Yorkers by pausing on a busy sidewalk to gawk at a spectacular view of the Brooklyn Bridge or the Chrysler Building? With Love, From New York City, the latest album by the Kansas City based saxophonist Adam Larson, is filled with sonic vistas certain to stop listeners in their tracks.
The final component of a trilogy of trio albums including With Love, From Kansas City and With Love, From Chicago, With Love, From New York City is as awe-inspiring as the bustling metropolis for which it’s named. The album strikes a balance between the edgy explorations heard at New York City hubs for new music such as Roulette and the mainstream elegance favored at Manhattan venues like Smoke.
The rough and tumble assault of the opening track “Aerial Landmass” features grungy work from bassist Matt Clohesy and the merciless drumming of Obed Calvaire. Larson takes a staggeringly inventive solo on “64 Squares (searching for fish).” His shift to a tangy, slightly sour tone for “Soar” is among the additional highlights.
As with the first two installments of the With Love cycle, the uncompromising New York is absolutely arresting. Start spreading the news. Following residencies in Chicago and New York, Larson is truly is “number one, top of the list and king of the hill” in Kansas City.