Jeff Coffin Mu’tet

Bloom is an entertaining trip through the eclectic creative landscape that is Jeff Coffin’s artistic mind. Coffin, the innovative saxophonist/composer with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, has assembled an album of all Coffin originals performed by an all-star crew, including banjo man Fleck, Nickel Creek mandolin player Chris Thile and turntablist supreme DJ Logic. The first two songs, “Move Your Rug” and “Better Do Your Thing,” evoke the “second line” sounds of New Orleans—Joe Murphy’s short tuba solo on the latter rips. “The Mad Hatter Rides Again” is a fun song in the unusual time signature of 17/4, its funk groove driven along with the help of Flecktones percussionist Futureman and bassist Victor Wooten, plus bad-ass drummer Derico Watson. “Hatim,” an exotic piece arranged by mysterious sound designer “officerfishdumplings,” features Fleck on Balinese-sounding banjo. Coffin, an accomplished photographer, includes his striking close-up color flower photos on the album cover and throughout the liner notes.