Sublim III Enja ****

This Polish-born, German-based alto and soprano saxophonist is one of Germany’s best-kept secrets. A formidable player and composer, in recent years Niescier has led an acclaimed group, SUBLIM, whose latest edition sees longtime colleagues Sebastian Rather (bass) and Christoph Hillmann (drums) joined by a new pianist, Florian Weber, with Mehdi Haddab (oud) guesting on two tracks. It’s made no difference to the music’s quality, nor Niescier’s own performance. Influenced by Coltrane, she has also balanced the yin and yang of intellect and emotion in creating her own distinctive voice, in which a

keen awareness of form and the liberating expressiveness of freedom find mutual reinforcement. Weber, the more conservative soloist, offers a contrast that works, and Mehdi's Arabian colours have been incorporated without compromising the music's integrity. See enjarecords.com RAY COMISKEY