On his 2011 Sunnyside debut, Unified, tenor saxophonist and composer Stan Killian displays a big sound and a gift for writing appealing melodies. The Texas native has worked with a number of fine musicians, including pianist Luis Perdomo, drummer Antonio Sanchez, and guitarist Ben Monder, but it’s good to hear him as a leader. Unified draws from classics created by giants such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis. A few different musicians make up the core quartet’s rhythm section; pianist Benito Gonzalez plays piano throughout. On the opener, “Twin Dark Mirrors,” trumpeter Roy Hargrove joins Killian and his quartet for a warm-toned, swinging slice of straight-ahead jazz. The track gives the listener a taste of the fine music that follows. The Latin-flavored “Elvin’s Sight,” a tribute to Elvin Jones penned by Gonzalez, features excellent drumming by Darrell Green. The first half of the title cut finds the band working at a slow tempo; during that section alto saxophonist David Binney and Killian play off of each other in engaging ways. The driving “Eternal Return” closes the album on an energetic note.