November 2008

Pete Zimmer Quartet
Chillin’ Live @ Jazz Factory
Tippin' Records

By Bill Milkowski

The drummer-composer Pete Zimmer is joined on his fourth outing by reliably swinging bassist David Wong, underrated guitarist Avi Rothbard and stellar trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. Together they explore the Afro-Cuban groove of Zimmer’s “Search,” turn in faithful renditions of Sonny Rollins’ “Doxy” and Kenny Dorham’s “Una Mas,” and burn out on Cole Porter’s “From This Moment On.” Pelt, whose muted and open horn work is superb throughout, has a nice turn on flugelhorn on Zimmer’s lovely waltz “Summer Somber.”