JAZZ : ALBUM REVIEWS : ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO “Soweto” <i> DIW</i> ***

The AEC’s wide-ranging musical scope expands further here by prominently featuring South Africa’s Amabutho Male Chorus on its first American release in several years. The panoramic arrangement to “African Woman” adroitly employs reggae, mbqanga and Caribbean elements behind Amabutho’s singing. Still it’s startling to hear the a cappella harmonizing on “Khauleza” sandwiched between the Ensemble’s freewheeling “Fresh Start” and pensive chord collage of “The Bottom Line.” The AEC seems intent on exploring jazz tangents to pop and folk forms--even the straight jazz of “Fundamental Destiny” here alternates between supple swing riffs and bassist Malachi Favors’ stop-time riffs. “Soweto” is a welcome albeit uneven effort.