ONE FOR ALL: The Third Decade
Smoke Sessions, 2016

HARD BOP – Celebrating 20+ years as a working unit, this cool-toned sextet slides gently through a set of 10 originals (and one standard). The music is traditionalist and easy to digest, reflecting a 1960s sound without being a total throwback. The playing is solid, the tunes are catchy, but I personally wish they'd let loose with a bit more fire.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 4, 6, 7, 10

1. 5:17 – relaxed glide, cool-cat solos: the kind of tune you can snap fingers to
2. 6:00 – upbeat: churning groove w/ a light latin touch; lyrical horn solos
3. 6:22 – standard swings lightly at a medium tempo, all solo except drums
4. 7:38 – catchy uptempo bounce, latin rhythm: solos (esp flugelhorn) get busy
5. 5:35 – serene ballad, trombone leads harmonizing horns, soulful sax solo
6. 7:12 – loping, rolling, and very cool: the solos surf an upbeat groove
7. 4:33 – midtempo musing balances sweetness & strength, builds momentum
8. 4:31 – midtempo retro hip-wiggler, bassline and solos get snaky
9. 6:40 – uptempo, steady but with some complicated twists, all but bass solo
10. 6:22 – darker uptempo: jabbing big-city theme, swinging solos lighten it up
11. 5:51 – hip bluesy stroll: rhythm section swaggers under breezy solos

Eric Alexander - tenor sax
Jim Rotondi - trumpet
Steve Davis - trombone
David Hazeltine - piano
John Webber - bass
Joe Farnsworth - drums

[ Fo ] - 26 March 2017