Album Review / Jazz

** 1/2 LOST TRIBE, “Many Lifetimes” Arabesque Jazz

The New York-based guitar-sax quartet Lost Tribe covers all the bases on its third album, its first since losing its fifth member, guitarist David Gilmore. And just as you’d expect in a recording that covers this much territory, you’ll find occasional disappointments among the 10 tunes. The disc includes an electric hard-rock anthem, a twisted North African-inspired excursion that suggests “Caravan” and some cowboy guitar, not to mention Metheny-esque smooth jazz, Afro-pop, new music and calypso. Something for everyone.

Much of it is interesting, and everything is impressively played. Alto saxophonist Dave Binney contributes challenging, M-Base-inspired material as well as involved improvisations.

Guitarist Adam Rogers favors hard beats and fuzz tone, but also adds country twang on acoustic. The meatier material falls near the end of the CD, with drummer Ben Perowsky setting a hip tone with his shifting “Prospice.” Though there’s much to like here, a bit more focus would have made “Many Lifetimes” more consistently pleasing.

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good), four stars (excellent).