ALBUM REVIEWS : *** RAY ANDERSON “What Because” <i> Gramavision</i>

With Ray Anderson’s herky-jerky trombone melodies anchored by Allan Jaffe’s jabbing guitar and Pheeroan ak Laff’s earthy drums, “What Because” is a far thornier proposition than 1988’s “Blues Bred in the Bone” album. It’s an eclectic mixture, from the skewered trading of fours on “Rave-a-ning” to Ellington’s classic “I’m Just a Lucky So-And-So” and the romantic “Waltz for Phoebe.” The trombonist’s slippery solos take full advantage of his unusually broad instrumental vocabulary but Anderson’s greatest asset may be that, like Lester Bowie, he plays serious music while still having one good time.