by Scott Yanow
For Time Shifter, percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo is featured with groups ranging in size from nine to 14 pieces. Hidalgo presides over dense ensembles that perform a variety of complex frameworks with apparent ease. &From This Moment On& (which has an effective vocal by Jill Amesbury that at first seems out of place) and &Yesterdays& are the only standards. Among the many soloists are Mario Rivera on tenor, trumpeter Lew Soloff, flutist David Rodriguez, pianist Eric Figueroa, and trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez (on &Call of the Jungle Bird&). A rather creative set full of unusual twists and turns.