George Adams & Don Pullen Quartet - Decisions (2015)

This one has all the verve that characterized the best of the George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet's albums, without pandering to the commercialism that some of these recordings exuded. There are some tasty extended solos by all the players, and the choice of tunes is impressive, even if sometimes they sound like simple heads. The requisite spiritual, "The Eye Is on the Sparrow," is typically lush and gorgeously sensuous, while the other pieces are all originals by either Pullen or Adams. If some of the energy of the best of the Quartet is occasionally lacking, there is still enough joyous vigor to appeal to enthusiasts of the group. Adams has such an infectious vim in his playing that every time he picks up his horn the notes seem to fly with abandon, and Pullen crunches the keyboard in a way that only he could. When the Quartet was at its best, as it sometimes is here, it was simply unbeatable.