Bass clarinetist Katie Porter's latest offering is unusual in at least one respect. A collection of fourteen short pieces (each coming in at just about three minutes, each cut's "title" simply time markers) for solo and multi-tracked bass clarinet, the works maintain a consistent "mood" throughout. Whereas in most such assemblages, you're likely to hear a variety of attitudes and states of mind expressed, here each track is a variation on somberness, even mournfulness, dark, probing and deep. To be sure, the approaches vary and that's one of the many wonderful things about the release, that Porter can generate such a range of feeling and beauty within (apparently) limited emotional territory.

Another aspect that permeates the music is a sense of breathing, of an almost tidal back and forth, very slow, very calm and reflective, if melancholic. One has the mental image of sitting in the dusk near a shore, or perhaps in a meadow with a slight, periodic wind. The tones tend toward the deep, with soft overtones commonly heard. Rarely, there's a bit of shrillness.

It's a very lovely, very personal and even very moving recording, beautifully and thoughtfully performed. Porter mentions in the notes that she hopes to hear the set presented with multiple bass clarinetists or other musicians; one can only hope. A fine, fine release.