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Holly Hofmann, Low Life (Capri)
Holly Hofmann made her reputation concentrating on the C flute, an instrument whose flexibility and three-octave range are suited to her customary orientation toward the bop tradition. Here, she sets it aside in favor of its relative the alto flute. Pitched in G, the alto is capable of bewitching resonance and dynamic presence at the low end of its range. Ms. Hofmann takes full advantage of those qualities in a collection that tends toward romanticism tinged with a bluesy, minor sensibility. Her collaborators are pianist Mike Wofford, bassist John Clayton, guitarist Anthony Wilson and drummer Jeff Hamilton. Wilson’s composition “Jack of Hearts†and Clayton’s “Touch The Fog†are highlights. Ms. Hofmann’s deceptively simple-sounding “Lumière de la Vie,†in four time signatures; and Pat Metheny’s modern classic “Farmer’s Trust†linger in the mind. This album casts a spell.