Saxophonist Donny McCaslin And Friends Heat Up The Night

A recent Donny McCaslin performance is reviewed.

Saxophonist Donny McCaslin instantly eradicated the December chill Friday by igniting the air with “Fast Brazil” at New Haven’s Firehouse 12. The tenor man’s lively opening tune elicited sultry Amazonian images as his trio swung ferociously over dancing South American rhythms.

The contributions of bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Jonathan Blake proved integral to the evening’s success. McCaslin’s colleagues reveled in the shifting directions of his compositions and rose to the challenge of each improvisation.