" data-original-title="" title="">Doug Webb's second 2015 release for the Posi-Tone Records label, is not unlike a thirteen course meal in which every course is sublime, yet the portions are rather small and each dish is cleared quickly, leaving one with an intense desire for more of a particular flavor. Needless to say, there is a practical reason for the programming of short tracks on the part of independent labels attempting to release significant jazz recordings and generate enough black ink to survive. In an age when jazz radio is one route to what's left of the record buying public, a disc such as Webb's with only three cuts exceeding five minutes has a better shot at getting some airplay. Looking at it another way, perhaps we all can use a break from CDs filled with tracks exceeding ten minutes which feature players who sound as if they want to jam the sum total of their knowledge into every single solo.

As it turns out, wanting a little more of Webb isn't such a bad thing after all. Contrary to conventional wisdom, saxophone heroes don't have to be longwinded to make an impact. There's nothing artificial or contrived about Webb's relatively brief solos, and the record certainly doesn't sound like he was put in a position of making artistically unsatisfying compromises. Small doses of the leader's artistry help in finding common ground between a distanced, cerebral appreciation of his style and simply enjoying his offerings without subjecting them to excessive thought or analysis. Webb's ability to engage with diverse material and express different facets of a singular identity are the defining characteristics of Back East. The record's success also hinges on the contributions of a band including pianist