July/August 2001

Dale Bruning/Michael Moore
Conference Call
Jazz Link Enterprises

By Jim Ferguson

With the exception of two original contributions, the Conference Call features a series of chestnuts that provide vehicles for the work of Bruning and Moore, who share similar melodic but swinging approaches. On the opener, the venerable "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams," Bruning's relatively simple statement of the melody, occasionally embellished by well-placed chord voicings, is buoyed by Moore's tasteful accompaniment. As the solos unfold, Bruning expertly develops both single-note and chordal motifs, paving the way for an active excursion by Moore that employs fragments of the melody and contrasts with his more succinct underpinning. Bruning's own "Conference Call" begins with highly synchronized ensemble work and moves on to rousing choruses, while Moore's "If I Could Speak to Him Now" is a reflective tribute to composer Alec Wilder.