Goldberg, Ben – “Speech Communication” – [Tzadik]

This is an intoxicating tribute to the clarinetist’s father, who focused on the discipline of Speech Communication (read the liner notes). In each song, Goldberg’s clarinet speaks each note clearly and distinctly, and the conversations with Greg Cohen’s bass and Kenny Wollesen’s drums is well worth eavesdropping on. Straightforward, jazzy melodies interspersed with more experimental elements, but all of them in spare settings, quiet enough so you can actually listen to what’s being said through the music. Classically wonderful.