AMG Review of Another Bag

Jason Ankeny
All Music Guide

Another Bag vaults tenor saxophonist James Moody even further past his bop roots. Another in a series of collaborations with arranger and composer Tom McIntosh, its rich, deep sound is both fiercely cerebral and nakedly emotional. Paired with a superb group including pianist Kenny Barron, trumpeter Paul Serrano, trombonist John Avant, bassist Ernest Outlaw, and drummer Marshall Thompson, Moody creates a thoughtful interpretation of the emerging soul-jazz idiom that is both consciously hip yet surprisingly introspective. The music is both angular and accessible, bolstered by a clutch of clever, dynamic McIntosh melodies.