Earl Harvin, Jr. continues the drummer-as-leader heritage established by New Jersey predecessors Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones. The well-honed and inventive trio-plus-one evokes diverse musical moods, from the lyrical “Out of Mind” and the spirited minor of “Cryptic” to the rippling counterpoint of “Cosmic Concubine.” Seven originals were penned by pianist Dave Palmer, one each by Harvin and bassist Fred Hamilton. Guest saxophonist Shelley Paul Carrol’s tenor sparks Horace Silver’s “Peace.”
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