In marked contrast to the wide range of electro-acoustic compositional and improvisational possibilities inherent in his Exploding Star Orchestra large ensemble, Chicago cornetist Rob Mazurek chose an intimate, stripped-down setting for the Starlicker trio, which debuted with Double Demon on the Delmark label in 2011. Mazurek combined forces with two Exploding Star Orchestra members, vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz and drummer John Herndon (also of Tortoise), for an entirely acoustic date drawing from avant-garde jazz, post-bop, and more. Starlicker's bass-less format forces the...