Osby's Quiet Sessions Under Zero
A tight, sharp date from Greg Osby that rewards close, repeated listening.
Zero came out in 1998, a session built around Greg Osby's alto saxophone and a rhythm section that gives him plenty of room to move. The personnel was a relatively compact group: Dwayne Burno and Lonnie Plaxico split the bass duties, Kevin McNeal played guitar, and Rodney Green handled the drums. That mix of two bassists and a guitar gives the record a textured, slightly unusual foundation, and it's worth paying attention to how the pieces fit together rather than just how Osby sounds on top.
Osby is a player who likes angular lines and rhythmic displacement, and this record lets him lean into both. The rhythm section keeps things loose without ever feeling unanchored, and McNeal's guitar adds a color that you don't always get in saxophone-led quartets of the period. Listen for the moments where the two bassists lock together and the groove shifts under Osby's phrasing. It's a recording that rewards attention to the small interactions.
As a place to start with Osby, Zero is a solid pick but not the obvious first stop. It sits comfortably within his late-1990s run of records, showing a player confident in his voice and interested in pushing the form a bit. Listeners new to him may find it more rewarding after hearing some of his more straightforward work, but for anyone already following his output, it's a worthwhile addition with a distinct character.
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