Jazz Beat: Matt Otto Group, at the Westport CoffeeHouse

When Matt Otto plays sax, I first notice the tone — a complete sound, rich and full, that only the best saxophonists match. Next, I’m grabbed by the intricacies of his compositions, layers that build an image or a story. Then Otto solos with a springboard of free-spirited imagination. When Otto moved to Kansas City from the West Coast a few years ago, he found quick acceptance in KC’s jazz community, with groups like the People’s Liberation Big Band, and his own quartets. Thursday night, you can hear him in a trio as part of his weekly Jazz Underground series in the basement theater of Westport CoffeeHouse. This week, he’s joined by Karl McComas-Reichl on bass and Brad Williams on drums.