“. . . there’s a whole other kind of virtuosity that is less talked about: an affective virtuosity – the ability to create a sonic atmosphere and ambience that has nothing to do with instrumental technique. Over the course of Dark Blue’s eleven tracks, baritone saxophonist Alex Harding and pianist Lucian Ban deploy this more elusive form of virtuosity. Evocative and intimate, Dark Blue showcases the full possibilities of the horn/piano duo format. The album is clearly not a one-off; they’ve obviously spent time developing a shared vocabulary and point of view for this format that takes advantage of their different voices in ways that allow them to shine as a duo and individuals. Compare Harding’s solo feature “H.B.” (for Hamiet Bluiett) with Ban’s solo “Low Country Blues”: free jazz inflected bari against a piano approach that’s only a couple steps removed from the concert hall. They come from different sonic worlds, yet as a pair they sound natural. ” Click to read full review