The Italian-born drummer Federico Ughi, now based in New York City, debuts his group Options, with guest Daniel Carter on alto saxophone, on South of Brooklyn, a disc which presumably takes its name from his South Brooklyn home. The label is named for a previous Brooklyn street address where he based his operations, and Ughi has previously put out collaborations with Carter (Astonishment, 2001) and with poet Steve Dalachinsky (i thought it was the end of the world then the end of the world happened again 2002).

The relatively unknown members of the Options - Matt Glassmeyer on tenor sax, Nathan Hanson on tenor sax and electronics, Sean Moran on guitar, and Dan Fabricatore on bass - show a great affinity here. Guitarist Moran's excellent work on this release brings to mind ECM or even Enja releases from the '80s, where guitarists Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny and John Scofield were regulars. Ughi's caution in not pushing the music over the edge seems to fit those labels' aesthetics. The drummer clearly sets the tone for this band, setting boundaries and never pushing into free playing, much like he did on his duo release with Dalachinsky. Carter's playing is much more restrained than on other releases that featured him over the years. The tracks are quite varied, from the funky "Never There" to the quiet "White" and the peaceful final track "Slight." A fine, if not especially adventurous release by a promising quintet.