Alla Boara takes what it calls "almost extinct" Italian folk songs and then expands and deconstructs them. The result is a dervish of prog/folk/jazz fusion, recorded live at Bopstop in Cleveland. The band plays a couple of the songs straight, and then flies full-force into the ruminations (including some call-and-response with the crowd).

Alla Boara Work & Song: Live at the Bopstop (self-released)

The earlier studio album was spirited and exuberant, but this live recording provides an even clearer feel for the dynamism of this sextet. The motion is kinetic and eternal, with barely a breath between songs. These ruminations respect the source material without being bound to it. In any case, an album that veers from the David Wax Museum on one song to King Crimson on the next certainly has range.

In addition to club dates, Alla Boara presents programs at schools and other venues. There's obviously a lot of scholarly work behind the scenes. Presented in the context of this group, however, the results are anything but dry.

The recording sound is warm and crisp. It's just so much easier to make recorded live music sound good than it was even 20 years ago. The verve and nuance of the performances are stunning. And, yes, a whole lot of fun. Alla Boara's missionary zeal is palpable, but that doesn't get in the way of a good time. History rarely inspires this much joy.

Jon Worley