Lure of the hounds A saxophonist's Christmas, with BASIL RAMSEY Channel Crossings    CCS 14698

Whereas four saxophones as a quartet can present a welter of sounds rich and smooth to percussive and brittle, there is, naturally, a tonal quality fundamental to this family. Your interest in this collection depends on your willingness to accept this sound wholeheartedly when carols are really to be sung. The preparation for this project has brought a group of arrangers in to provide new treatments, several of which are ideal for their new medium. There are some you will love and some you will not. My favourite, quite by chance, is a transcription of Bach's early chorale prelude on In dulci jubilo [listen -- track 17, 0:18-1:06]. Organ to sax? Surprising is the effectiveness of a saxophone quartet.

The sax smooth and quiet is of a creamy quality, much heard on these tracks. But let it loose in excitement and you are just as likely to be chased by a pack of yelping hounds [listen -- track 15, 2:47-3:40]. Everything depends on an arranger's ambitions with happy Christmas tunes. At the very least you have variety, but not in overall sound.

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