Logan Hone is a busy man. He lists five different ensembles on his web site (in which he plays three different instruments, sings and also contributes electronic and "music box" sounds), and he just graduated from college. Impressive.

Logan Hone's Similar Fashion Logan Hone's Similar Fashion (pfMENTUM)

Or maybe that's just the reality facing young musicians: You're never gonna make money doing just one thing. Truth be told, he's probably not making money doing five things, but at least he's making good music.

He plays saxophone in Similar Fashion, and he's joined by Lauren Baba on viola, Gregory Uhlman on guitar and Michael Lockwood on drums. Not exactly your usual jazz quartet, but the music isn't ordinary, either. Each piece sets forth a few basic ideas, and then the ensemble journeys from there. There is plenty of improvisation, but the defined structure holds throughout.

In other words: Jazz happens. Hone doesn't really recall any particular school of sound, but what I hear are moments of astounding beauty emerging from a sonic cloud of ruminations. A lot like Dirty Three. Which isn't jazz, exactly.

And that's okay. I don't think Hone wants to tie himself down to any particular thought process. Similar Fashion rambles its way through a variety of fresh ideas, and each piece contains fresh revelations. Hone may be young, but he sounds like a guy who is able to make wonderful music even as he pushes every boundary possible. Keep on keepin' on, my friend.

Jon Worley