by Steven LoewyThis recording is part of Johnston's Georges Méliès Project, which presents soundtracks to the filmmaker's work. As such, the music of this quartet comes across as part of something larger, which is acknowledged by the composer in the liner notes: "...ultimately, film music is meant to be seen with film...." There is a nice nostalgic feel to the charts, which feature some outstanding handwork from the leader (on both soprano and tenor saxophones). Joe Ruddick shows delicious chops on piano, as well as baritone sax, while Mark Josefsberg does some amazing acrobatics on vibes and David Hofstra doubles on bass and tuba. As music to a film, this is quite extraordinary, and it stands on its own as a fascinating period piece. In any case, it's great fun, and showcases the extraordinary compositional skills of Johnston.