newsobserver.com Sunday, January 4, 2004 12:00AM EST ON THE RECORD Jazz ‘By OWEN CORDLE, Correspondent When Hurricane Isabel caused the cancellation of Sunna Gunniaugs' concert at the ArtsCenter, Triangle jazz fans ‘missed not only the Icelandic pianist and leader but also alto saxophonist Loren Stillman, an up-and-coming ‘member of her quartet. Stilman, in his 20s, can be heard on "How Sweet It Is" (Nagel Heyer), an album that recalls the impressionistic atmosphere of Manfred Eicher’s ECM label productions. It reveals the alto saxophonist, who has studied with David Liebman, Ted Nash and Lee Konitz, as a fluid improviser with a soft-spoken melancholy streak ‘Stitman does not strut his considerable technique. Instead he proceeds with forethought, abstraction and {gracefulness, like @ combination of Konitz and the M-Base schoo! of saxophonists headed by Steve Coleman and Greg Osby. His tone is full of light and shadows, and his rhythms dart and glide and lay in wait. The album is mostly introspective, Even its livelier moments seem guarded. ‘Stiman penned all the tunes, and they inspire lots of rhythmic elasticity among his accompanists: pianist Russ Lossing, bassist Scott Lee (who is originally from Greensboro) and drummer Jeff Hirshfield, His tiles ~ "Between py," "Meat and "Meat Snake," for example — are cryptic. The performances sound more ‘sensitive and delicate than such titles suggest, although “Meat Snake" has a fractured jazz-rock beat and leads Lossing into stormy, Cecil Taylor-ike territory, Perhaps Stilman's greatest asset at this point is his decision (and capacity) to play, like Konitz, quietly and intuitively. He expresses his ideas and emotions in a mature, nuanced manner. He's off to a good start, distinctive ‘among the pack of young saxophonists today and headed for a bright future ~ if people will listen {© Copyright 2004, The Nows & Obsaror Publishing Company ll mata found on langle com (including rewssbserver com. crynews com, ‘hapenhws com sratolderaid com, and eastorwatarows cons copyghte The News 8 Obsener Publishing Company and associated ‘ows eorvios. No ateal maybe produced or roused witout axplt permission fom The News & Observer Publhing Company, Ral orth Caran, “The News & Oteoror Publishing Company Ie ownod by Tho MeCiaichy Company. [BACK] hittp://news-observer.com/features/arts/v-print/story/317699 I p-2862448c.html 2/8/2004