snobb Sax player Jon Irabagon is better known as co-founder and co-leader of funny no-nonsense avant-garde jazz parody-circus Mostly Other People Do The Killing (MOPDTK). Irabagon as his own projects leader is usually more serious, more innovative, more experimental and in moments not less humorous.

"Foxy" is a great example. Just looking on the album's cover one can easily recall Sonny Rollins' "Way Out West" from 1957. Irabagon runs on "Foxy" same tenor-double bass-drums trio as Rollins did more than half of a century ago, just Jon's drummer is Barry Altschull (not Rollins' Shelly Manne) and the bassist is Peter Brendler (instead of Rollins' Ray Brown). Than, album's title "Foxy" can issue some association with Rollins' tune "Doxy", but similarities finish here.

Irabagon's "Foxy" is one 78-minutes long improvised jam (separated to twelve "songs"),rooted in blues, bop standards, Ornette Coleman's groovy harmolodics and presented with style and grace. There are no common theme in album's music but Irabagon skilfully adds tuneful snippets here and there all album long. As a result the listener gets album which doesn't sound too monotonous, boringly repetitive or too "out". There are lot of swing, bluesy structures and melodic groove which make this fully improvised album sound almost danceable and really accessible.

Great example of serious modern jazz which doesn't sound too serious, good entry for fans of MOPDTK interested in similar but slightly more experimental music.

snobb NY-based sax player Jon Irabagon is best known as co-founder and member of "revolutionary free-bop band" Mostly Other People Do The Killing (their "Live In Coimbra" is full of fun and energy, an excellent parody on Jarrett-like boring arrogant chamber jazz). Irabagon's solo albums are more experimental, and as a rule are not such an easy listen.

To say the truth, I had a difficult time with "Absolute Zero". After the few first spins I felt like the music on this album is too monotonous, repetitive and sounds more like a blueprint, rather than a final product. The next CD in my player was the new excellent Danish sax player Lotte Anker's album "Birthmark" - featuring her new trio with two Portuguese musicians; pianist Rodrigo Pinheiro and double bassist Hernâni Faustino (both members of Red Trio). I was really impressed by their collaboration on this album and then I figured out that Irabagon's musical partners on "Absolute Zero" are the same double bassist Hernâni Faustino and third Red Trio member drummer Gabriel Ferrandini. Soon I returned back to listening to Irabagon's new work, and with every spin the album grew up in me.

Now, after many repetitive spins I feel I got what his music is and I enjoy it more and more.No way too complex, dissonant or too much "out", this album is kind of modern "Out To Lunch": hard-bop rooted free improvisation without melodic lines or tunes, but at the same time quite emotive, even lyrical in moments, a work of very impressionistic texture with lot of subtle rhythmic constructions and clever and intelligent sharp sax soloing. Not too noisy or screaming, this music is very progressive by its nature showing that there are so many different ways in modern non-conformist jazz. Most probably this album requires repetitive listening, but with every next spin it will grow in you!

Great music for your head and your heart.