Jon Irabagon, winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, releases his newest album, The Observer, on label Concord Jazz. 10 tracks in total offer up a quality mix of Jon on alto sax, Nicholas Payton lending in on Trumpet for a couple of tracks, Kenny Baron on Piano with Bertha Hope filling in for her late husband on a composition written by him, as well as Rufus Reid on bass and Victor Lewis on drums.

The Observer is an apt title for Jon Irabagon in general because he’s methodical, always in learn mode, absorbing and executing into his compositions an interweaving of styles to fit whatever sound he is attempting to create. The first couple of tracks suffer from the mathematics of jazz, maybe Irabagon showing off a little, coming off just plain and standard as far as jazz goes. I was reminded of lounge music or being put on hold at the bank. Don’t let this sway you though as the rest of the album finds individual character for each track that follows.

Stand out tracks have to be title track The Observer and track 8 titled Big Jim’s Twins, and though my wife will berate me for this, as in my former life I was a drummer, Victor Lewis just brings these tracks to life on the skins. On The Observer Lewis is afforded a handful of solo sessions offering up a tame yet explosive taste of his off beats and improvisational skills that both shine on their own and supply an air of true jazz standard to Irabagon’s sax playing. Big Jim’s Twins is something else all together. Probably the most climatic number on the album working its way from a hyper introduction by Victor Lewis and culminating with a frantic mixture of Lewis and Irabagon seemingly going head first at each other with their performances twisting and breaking away adrenaline quick but precise.

Track 9, an original composition by late pianist Elmo Hope titled Bar Fly is tribute respectably executed by Irabagon and his fellow band mates including Bertha Hope, Elmo’s wife, on piano. I don’t know what it was about the song, possibly that Hopes wife accompanied the band or that it was a tribute to a great artist, but the song was potently emotional, almost sad. Hand that to the execution of Irabagon and Hope and quite possibly the history and life within it but its just a beautiful piece that is extremely powerful. Enjoy.