Glenn White and his band play "modern jazz," which means they play in a highly-educated (in the music-theory sense), slightly traditionalist style that comes equipped with an encyclopedic knowledge of the entire history of jazz. They're quite good at it, in that very professional sort of way. That should tell you everything you need to know, but if it didn't, here it goes…

I'm not a huge fan of modern traditional jazz on record. Allow me to elaborate--I'm sure I'd absolutely love this live. It's the sort of thing that would go down best with a table of friends and a glass of bourbon. White is an accomplished, versatile tenor saxophonist, and he and alto flutist Jamie Baum weave in and out of each other and all manner of the jazz idiom, from standard bebop to the free-bop strains of the 2nd Miles Davis Quintet. The rhythm section plays with nuance and subtlety, the whole band largely sticks to a modal, er, mode, and everything is kept on the smooth and comfortable side (this isn't smooth jazz, but it is funny how the once-threatening dynamics of bebop and modal music have come to sound so relaxing). The best thing about the playing is, of course, the soloing, and everyone gets a chance to strut their stuff. White and Baum get the most solo time, but the band always manages to keep things interesting and dynamic behind them. The standout track for me was the closer "Aftermath," largely because the piano vamping and overall energy of the piece give it a darker, more dangerous sound than the other offerings.

It's hard to say anything about Sacred Machines that hasn't been said about a million and one traditional jazz albums. All the same, I'm enjoying this for what it is--a well-written, relaxing album that's more creative in the moment than in the aggregate. It's not the sort of thing I see myself reaching for often, but it's hitting the right notes more often than most other albums of its ilk. If you're a jazz aficionado, check this out.

-Lucas Kane