The promising tenor player Todd Herbert is backed by a solidly swinging unit in pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Jason Brown. And while he is mindful of emulating John Coltrane’s “sheets of sound” approach on energized originals like “Look Into the Abyss” and “Do This,” he should be as mindful about his intonation. Nevertheless, he does flaunt staggering facility and makes a strong impression here, particularly on the “Naima”-like ballad “Years of Dreaming” and the “Countdown”-inspired burner “Herbs of Healing.”
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