Adam Unsworth
Excerpt This!
(self-released)

It is not unusual that a classically trained musician, let alone a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, might indulge in alternate forms of music (as documented in the recent film about the orchestra Music From the Inside Out). When these cats do venture afield, it is often toward music that benefits from their instrumental virtuosity, such as jazz and bluegrass. But where do you go with a French horn? Adam Unsworth, a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra horn section, is not exactly the first horn player to play jazz, but he is certainly in a rarified world. For his first album, Unsworth has assembled a crackerjack ensemble of local musicians with similarly eclectic interests; Diane Monroe on violin, woodwinds from Les Thimmig, Tony Miceli on vibes, bassist Ranaan Meyer and Cornell Rochester on drums. When they all play Unsworth's compositions, there is a sweet, swinging, easygoing sound. His facile and exuberant playing, in contrast to the usual long, glowing lines heard in orchestral repertoire, makes his horn sound like a whiskey-soaked trombone. This album also includes a healthy dollop of Unsworth in a solo mode, in music that is not strictly classifiable (hooray for that), but which comes across as heartfelt and eloquent. "Halfway There," an extraordinary solo that Unsworth has also played live for the Network for New Music, has jazz elements, a kind of classical rondo form, and an engrossing, experimental approach to the voice of his instrument. This is probably not what you think a French horn should sound like, but it sounds good nevertheless.

--Peter Burwasser, City Paper (Philadelphia)