Double-bassist Haines’ composed all but one of the eight tunes here, the exception is from drummer Cobb, who appears on six of the tunes. The overall sound of the group and the music suggests the period in which Cobb was most prominent, the early 60’s and emphasizes hard bop. The results would fit in very well with a collection that emphasized the styles found on Blue Note and Riverside from the day.
Haines has chosen to feature his compositional talents to a greater degree than his bass playing; he solos seldom but well. Pianist Chip Crawford, tenor saxophonist David Lown, and trumpeter/ soprano saxophonist Reb Smith provide good solos and ensemble work. Drummer Thomas Taylor replaces Cobb on two tunes and adheres to Cobb’s standards.
The CD will please fans of this style of jazz with some fine performances from some lesser known talents but will not deliver anything particularly startling to them.
Originally Published
