Slovenian guitarist Samo Salamon’s ascent within global jazz circles advances with the release of two new European Quartet outings. The differentiator here, is that renowned tubaist Michel Godard augments a sax-guitar-drums core-band, whereas on the companion effort Fall Memories accordionist Luciano Biondini servies as the fourth member. So, this album offers an alternate viewpoint, where staggered flows and contraction/expansion techniques attain a radiant balance on all fronts.

Godard’s pumping lines and wily soloing acts as an accelerator to Salamon’s stinging single note lines and the overall rhythmic element, which is irrefutably buoyant in scope. On "Excuse Me, Mr. Frisell?," the guitarist’s intricate chord progressions and oscillating treatments offers a nod or two to guitar great Bill Frisell as the band’s subtle motifs are designed with an implied waltz. And in other regions, the musicians’ torrid improvisational dialogues, wondrously contrast nimble voicings and intersecting emotive aspects. Then on "Hebe," Salamon’s resonating progressions firm up a storybook type vista amid circular phrasings and vividly enacted imagery.

There’s a lot of goodness going on. They mix it all up rather articulately, while professing a high degree of chops to cap off a program that communicates mystical qualities via numerous stylizations and metrics. Salamon is a shrewd visionary. In sum, the guitarist’s artisanship looms rather mightily among his peers!