This is straightahead salve for the soul. Pianist Hazeltine and bassist Peter Washington form the core of these sessions; they are joined by drummer Joe Farnsworth on three tracks, one of them featuring vibist Steve Nelson, and on the remaining five tracks by tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson and drummer Louis Hayes. The band knows how to lay behind the beat, as on the lilting title track, and how to stay on top of it, as on Hazeltine’s other composition, “This One’s for Bud,” a bright tribute to one of his pianistic inspirations. They tear through Trane’s “Moment’s Notice,” and swing broadly through “Old Devil Moon,” where Nelson’s vibes glow fiercely. “My Foolish Heart” opens the session, phrased with a triplet rush at the end of each line that provides a thematic handle for the soloists. Sophisticated but immediate, this session satisfies.
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