The Cosmosamatics are the brainchild of saxophonists Michael Marcus and Sonny Simmons, and this incarnation features Tarus Mateen on acoustic bass guitar and the marvelous Andrew Cyrille on drums. Marcus has made a name for himself playing the seldom-heard saxello and stritch, but he is also quite proficient on various other reed instruments and, as this recording can testify, is a quite accomplished baritone sax player. On his ballad 12 Seasons of Love, his heartfelt delivery shows how much his playing is steeped in the blues. Marcus and Simmons are kindred spirits and display some sound cohesion. To hear them intertwine their lines or play countermelodies is quite a delight. They are supported by a first-class rhythm section: Mateen is a very melodic player and gives a modern sheen to the overall results, while Cyrille is just perfect, crisp yet unobtrusive. Both are largely responsible for the success of Quasar, one of the two epics penned by Marcus. It is built over a simple bassline, which Mateen uses to weave endless variations over Cyrille's inventive patterns. Unfortunately, they are not quite able to replicate such a feat on the other epic, Telergy, which tends to meander far too long. Despite this minor quibble, the aforementioned qualities make this live recording a highly enjoyable experience. ~ Alain Drouot, Rovi

1		Avant Garde Destruct
2		Quasar
3		12 Seasons of Love
4		Telergy
5		Aubade

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