The Maurice Ravel-like Impressionism of the album’s opening moments soon expand into fully orchestrated jazz. Composer Nick Finzer is a trombonist of engaging style and a hot soloist, but he gives maximum space to each member of his combo. On Cast of Characters, Finzer draws from Eastern modes, ’70s fusion and post-Romantic classical music, yet the album’s characteristic passages are in a straight-ahead format, allowing room to interact and solo within the rhythmically elastic forum.
