"After the Storm"is a collection of thoughtful pieces seemingly built on improvisation. Karl Berger is the great unsung 60's vibraphonist who came to prominence playing with Don Cherry and Alan Silva and who later spearheaded the Creative Music Studio with Ornette Coleman. He plays a lot of piano on this date, and his approach is similar to that of his vibes playing; his notes twinkle and hover in space without much clutter or busy left hand chording. On After the Storm he is joined by Brazilian operatic singer Mossa Bildner and guitarist Philip Gibbs. Gibbs' guitar playing exists on the micro level of nuance and measured gesture, and he and Berger are well in tune with each other, which makes this recording so successful. It's autumnal music � somewhat cold, gray, lilting at times, but with an underlying fire.

The 20 minute opening title track is a brilliant study in duo improvisation as Berger and Gibbs run through a variety of moods and intensities as the piece takes shape. These men are perfectly sympathetic to each other's musical whims as they continually augment the other man's ideas with interesting counterpoint that gently nudges the song forward without pregnant pause or hiccup. Gibbs is deceptively subtle at times as the tonality of his notes changes ever so slightly, making some notes ring out as others blur together into dull clusters or flurried clouds.

Elsewhere "Ingrid" begins with cascades of muted vibes and fluttering guitar runs that chase each other until settling on more percussive discourse. Things turn more contemplative at the end with dissonant mallet chords supporting the scuttling strings. "El Arte del Olvido (The Art of Forgetting)'' by Jorge Luis Borger features ominous, sustained guitar chords, seemingly hammered at by Gibbs, punctuated with lonely vibe notes. Eventually Bildner's yearning voice joins the proceedings, effortlessly traversing a broad range of expression and tonality, from heavy and dark to higher pitched, airy phrasing. By the middle things change again as Gibbs' guitar suddenly sounds like hand drums and Berger switches to piano that foreshadows Bildner's arcing voice. She switches language but remains captivating no matter the word choice.