Pianist-vocalist Marcus fronts a trio that plays jazz in a way that can be best described as infectious. Joining in with members Peter Ingram on drums and John Brown on bass (bassist Robbie Link sits in on four of the cuts) are major guests Sonny Fortune on alto and Frank Foster on tenor, who add horsepower to the lineup of standards and originals. Marcus, as a vocalist, charms with his singing and scatting, coming across as a blend of Hoagy Carmichael and Bob Dorough; check him out on Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father.” Fortune is special on his five appearances, including a pair of Marcus originals, “A Different Time” and “The Prayer,” while Foster blows with confident ease. His “Manhattan Fever” and “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” are fine examples of his craft.
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