Joe McPhee, Alto (side A)

McPhee's classic Tenor seemed like a response to Anthony Braxton's early classic For Alto, so it amuses me to see McPhee cycling back to a solo alto album.  2009's Alto pains me, in that I did not even know about the concert here in NYC where it was recorded.  Like Tenor, it's a beautiful document of McPhee's grace in a solo setting.  It's a bit less lyrical and more subtle than his work 30 years ago, but no less beautiful.  The pasted-on cover is nice, and the liner notes even mention Nick Sakes!  The concert was competently recorded and nicely pressed to vinyl.