Reeds player Craig Buhler mixes up jaunty swing tunes with straightforward ballads on this agreeable, spirited release. The songs tend to be simple, but they are delivered crisply and succinctly. “Capistrano” and “Molly Ann” are infectiously gleeful, while other tracks reflect Buhler’s Seattle surroundings with a West Coast-cool orientation. Although the saxophone is his primary instrument, some of the best tracks find Buhler on clarinet with trumpeter Brian Atkinson switching to vibraphone, combining for a rich, satisfying sound.
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