It's been interesting in recent months to hear from NYC ex-pat percussionist Samm Bennett again. A decade ago, the electronic percussionist laid down brittle beats and had a singing voice not easy to embrace. But Bennett was a defining force in the early downtown scene (especially in Third Person, with cellist Tom Cora and a different third party for every performance).

Bennett, who recently made a return visit at Soho's Location One, has no doubt continued to work since moving to Japan in the mid '90s, but word of it rarely reached these shores. His tracks on the excellent 10 cd set Improvised Music from Japan, however, show him to be a more palatable ensemble member than in years past.

Perhaps the intent was always there and he only needed the technology to catch up, or maybe life in Japan has been good for him. In any event, this trio with guitarist Uchihashi Kazuhisa and saxophonist Ned Rothenberg is about the strongest full-length release to carry his name yet.

Not to give the drummer too much. Ten of the 13 tracks here are credited to the trio, with each member contributing one additional piece. The songs are fat and sinewy, the playing clean and imbibing. But Uchihashi is always more than interesting and Rothenberg one of the best; Bennett here is the happy surprise.

Uchihashi and Rothenberg have worked together before. The horn player had a cameo with Uchihashi's great Altered States on 1995's Mosaic and became an honorary member the next year for Cafe 9.15. His angular lines and circular breathing compliment Uchihashi's loop-heavy guitar well. Here they are rock-solid, and with Bennett going more for atmospherics than beats, are you be is a subtle piece of heavy trio action.