Having distinguished himself in varied ensemble projects and co-led groups for years, alto saxophonist Will Vinson takes unaccompanied flight on Solo. It’s a bold move for any horn player, creating motion and harmonic interest on a non-chordal instrument with no other backing, but Vinson rises to the occasion, offering one of the most sustained and satisfying showcases of his musical intelligence to date. He also joins the ranks of peers who’ve taken on solo projects of their own around this time, including Jaleel Shaw, JD Allen, Jon Irabagon, Chris Speed (on clarinet), and more. There’s a sense of narrative structure in linked pieces such as “Shade 1” and “Shade 2,” the latter being more unsettled and rhythmically jagged. “Three Things You Might Have Been,” similarly, is split into “Thing 1,” “Thing 2,” and “Thing 3,” resurfacing throughout the program in an oblique nod to the Jerome Kern standard “All the Things You Are.” Vinson works around the full range of the horn, generating counterpoint by jumping registers, creating continuous lines (“Care Free”), and building bass and melody parts that work together in improvisatory ways (“Dial D for Dyads”). On “YaH” and “Old Timer,” he’s more laidback, with a bluesier accent, while on “Who, Me?” and the closing “Lubes” he veers closer to bebop. Self-assured mastery all the way.