Live at the Velvet Lounge

A new chapter in the long, slow-building career of Chicago saxophonist and early AACM member Fred Anderson began in the ‘90s, when he began recording with a variety of visiting musicians. This excellent set finds him in the company of Peter Kowald, the German bassist who played a key role in the development of free jazz in Europe, and drummer Hamid Drake, Anderson’s frequent collaborator, who had made some of his first recordings alongside the saxophonist around 20 years prior and would continue to work with him up until Anderson’s death in 2010. The three have no problem establishing a common language, with the rhythm section’s busy yet highly attuned churn buoying Anderson’s soulful, unhurried flow on opener “Straight, But Not Straight.” Later, they dig deep into a ballad-like texture on “To Those Who Know,” and cohere around Drake’s lively hand-drum patterns on “Multidimensional Reality.” As on many other vital jazz efforts of the era, the setting for this recording — the Velvet Lounge, Anderson’s own long-running club in the city’s South Loop — is an important element here, and a reminder of the saxophonist’s place as a pillar of the Chicago scene.