NEW RELEASES : In Brief

* * * 1/2 Julius Hemphill, “Fat Man and the Hard Blues,” Soul Note. Hemphill used to be the chief composer for the World Saxophone Quartet, so it’s not surprising that his new sextet also boasts an all-reed lineup. What is surprising is that the varied music here throws Hemphill’s trademarks--lushly eerie or mellifluous ensemble voicings blended with hard, blues-tinged riffing and collective improvisations--into sharper, more streamlined relief. The flute feature “Tendrils” and tenor solos by James Carter (“Four Saints”) and Andrew White (“Anchorman”) sparkle on this challenging yet accessible collection.