Dave King is best known as the drummer of The Bad Plus, one of the most forward-pointing groups in jazz today. But he’s one restless dude and, whenever that trio is on a break, he can be found moonlighting with any of several other Minnesota-based outfits, most notably Happy Apple and this, his own vanity collective. Surrounded by the Night is the third release by the Dave King Trucking Company, which now consists of King on drums (and cymbals, the liner notes make sure to point out), guitarist Erik Fratzke, tenor saxophonists Brandon Wozniak and Chris Speed (who doubles on clarinet), and the newest addition, bassist Chris Morrissey. It’s a winning mix of musical personalities—the saxes,
when working in tandem, often head off in divergent directions yet they cling tightly to a melodic core that keeps the song from getting lost. “Delta Kreme,” the opener, is a sweet ballad that finds King— who wrote all seven tracks—brushing
unhurriedly, the saxophones exploring in counterpoint while Fratzke and Morrissey stick largely to support roles. But when they’re all fired up—as they are on “You Should Be Watching (Art) Films” and the closer, “Don’t Be Suspect of a Gift” that’s when things get really fun, with Fratzke attaining near-skronk out-there-ness and the others, King especially, giddily holding nothing back.