The blending of the three horns of these co-leaders was a masterstroke. The result is a master class in the sophisticated treatment of some neglected standards....... more
The blending of the three horns of these co-leaders was a masterstroke. The result is a master class in the sophisticated treatment of some neglected standards. Coe is one of the most gifted musical inventors in jazz, Barnes is not far behind and
Vach is exactly the kind of player whose game is raised by such company. It all looks too good to be true, but it's not, and the backing by giants in their own right like pianist Brian Lemon, bassist Dave Green, guitarist Dave Cliff and the two drummers Allan Ganley and Clark Tracey extracts the full potential from the session. The choice of material stokes the fires, and it's good to hear such little known wonders as Tadd Dameron's "On A Misty Night--ideal for such company and Benny Golson's "Five Spot After Dark". Alan Barnes plays baritone on a unique version of Coltrane's "Giant Steps", using the convoluted tune at a very slow tempo and making it a thing of beauty rather than a fiendish exercise.
Vach has a ball with the more mainstream numbers like "The Jeep Is Jumpin'" and "Don't You Know I Care?". --Steve Voce
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