Ahmed Mansour - Free Speech

In ten previous recordings as a leader over the past 20 years, Ahmad Mansour has distinguished himself as a leading light of modern jazz guitar on the New York and European music scenes. His past outings like 1993's Penumbra, 2002's Nightlight and last year's Short Cuts garnered rave reviews from critics worldwide who praised his harmonic sophistication and dazzling single note facility. But while his earlier records were oftensteeped in ECM-ish mystique and sublime lyricism, this live recording is bristling with an adventurous spirit of risk-taking and discovery that he had only hinted at in the past. If jazz is the sound of surprise, then this is jazz with a capital 'J'.Tracks: Free Speech / Happenstance / Modulator / Nebula / Rule And Divide / Out On A Limb.