Saturday, March 29, 2003
JAZZ

ByProduct ***1/2
ByProduct (BYP)

The new CD from the Montreal trio ByProduct sets the bar even higher for jazz emerging from Canadian universities. ByProduct is saxophonist Chet Doxas, his brother Jim on drums and bassist Zack Lober, star students in recent years at McGill University’s undergraduate jazz program. On nine originals by either Lober or Chet Doxas, the group demonstrates mature eloquence, groove and hook-up that many older musicians would envy. Without sounding derivative, the group plays with an obvious love for the openness of saxophone trios led by Sonny Rollins or Joe Lovano. There’s a striking mix of muscular playing and lyricism throughout, especially on the hearty Applachian Theme, the fresh groove on Future Girl, and the ballads Lana and Holden’s Fall. The biggest gaffe is the band’s name. Proof? Google it, and up pops “Fish Processing Byproduct.” But for this small failing, youth can be forgiven.

Peter Hum