You might think you're listening to an intro to a guitar rock classic from the opening to 31-year-old Utah-born saxophonist Chase Baird's new release, his first recording since arriving in New York in 2011. It doesn't carry on that way though; the rock influence is an essential though understated part of A Life Between. The ensemble is instead profoundly jazz in character (just take a look at the line-up), but it signals Baird's split loyalties perched a little oddly and uneasily somewhere between contemporary rock and post-bop. Baird impressed with some scintillating solos in Antonio Sanchez’ Migration band at the Jazz Cafe at last year's London Jazz Festival. It's Sanchez’ turn to be sideman now and we get a taste of their heated exchanges from that evening on Baird's original Wait and See’. Another stellar name, Brad Mehldau, is here too, though make no mistake whose record this is. Baird's lyrical yet volcanic Coltrane-ish intensity and explosive rhythmic thrust points to an allegiance to the tough tenor virtuosic post-fusion school of Michael Brecker through to Chris Potter. But A Life Between also nods to saxophonist Donny McCaslin's recent post-Bowie songbook with his tone-smearing dark-edged sax and alt-rock riffage-inspired compositions. To his credit, this exciting new arrival's fiery conviction and passionate turn of phrase makes for a purposeful whole. The next chapter should be even more interesting.