The British group Empirical deals with one singular figure in Jazz's past: Eric Dolphy. The sax players don't emulate his sound but the band works off his musical ideas, dedicates several pieces to him, and even plays a couple of compositions off his classic Out To Lunch album. The taut and nervous treatment of "Hat And Beard" and the fast, piping sound of "Gazzelloni" are fine adaptations but the new compositions are just as intriguing in the way they exploit the rhythmic freedom of sax and vibes together. The drunken saxes and vibes and skidding rhythms of "Dolphyus," the tipsy calypso of "Out But In," the alternating quiet sonority and agitated flying of "Syndicalism," and the loping dance beat and wriggling tenor of "So He Left" all sound fresh and imaginative. The band's cohesion through all this loosely arranged work is remarkable. Facey and Siegel (who's actually the producer and a guest player) have a lot of sparkling reed conversations while Wright illuminates the middle layer, and Farmer and Forbes give quick-witted rhythmic support. Altogether this is a very stylish and strong tribute to the Eric Dolphy legacy.