This lively straightahead date matches Jay Lawrence’s precision drumming with the graceful piano and stylish arrangements of Tamir Hendelman. The pair is exuberant on up-tempo numbers and soothing on ballads, maintaining an unflappable poise throughout: The Beatles, Jobim and Herbie Hancock all get the uptown-swing treatment. The session sounds squeaky-clean without becoming antiseptic, note-perfect but never dull. And bassist Lynn Seaton nearly steals the show with his Slam Stewart-esque vocalizing on the title track.
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