June 1997

Betty O'Hara
Horns Aplenty
Delmark Records

By Patricia Myers

Fleet facility on four horns and a pleasant voice equal a strongly swinging album by Betty O'Hara, a member of the all-woman big band Maiden Voyage and co-leader of the Jazz Birds female quintet. A woman for all sounds and tempos, she proves herself equally adept on trumpet, trombone, double bell euphonium and fluegelhorn, including several dubbed duets. Three vocals add another dimension, as do a pair of trio selections by pianist Johnny Varro, bassist Monty Corb and drummer Gene Estes.