River of Light

If an album can sound like someone taking a deep, soul-relaxing breath, it is the debut from Englands Ancient Infinity Orchestra, 2023s River of Light. Led by saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Ozzy Moysey, the Leeds-based Ancient Infinity Orchestra is made up of a rotating lineup of brass, woodwind, and string musicians, as well as vocalists, whose experience straddles jazz, classical, folk, and avant-garde styles. Together, they craft a sonically effusive brand of large-ensemble jazz inspired by the spiritual and astral jazz that players like John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders championed in the late 60s. River of Light opens with "Greeting," a shimmering introduction where warm tenor saxophone lines are offset by flute, bowed bass, and sparkling hand percussion. The song has that aforementioned deep-breath quality, an immediately restful and welcoming feeling the orchestra carries through to the rest of the album. An equally relaxing and woody two-bass duet opens "Rejoicing" before birdlike flute and buttery saxophone lines cradle you in their slowly swaying lilt. A moodier vibe pops up on "Equanimity," where a Charles Mingus-esque bass groove underpins dusky choir harmonies, exploratory sax and flute solos, as well as a wordlessly ethereal vocal outro. There are also global influences running through the album, as on the song "Arc of the Sun," where Moysey plays a delicate lead line on a plucked Chinese zither called a guzheng. Similarly, a breezy, coastal air permeates the crisply reverent piano and Afro-Cuban rhythms of "Spring Break on Trappist-1." ~ Matt Collar