When Vaughn Nark blows his trumpet, Gabriel must look down with a measure of envy. This recording, Nark’s first major release, features the fiery musician in a tour de force program of jazz classics, many peppered with his trademark searing trumpet cadenzas; check out the opening lines of “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise,” and the “A” above double “C” on “My Funny Valentine,” a cooking arrangement that Nark also sings with conviction. For sheer energy, give a listen to Bird’s “Billie’s Bounce,” and enjoy convincing solos from Tim Eyermann (flute, alto), Peter Fraize (tenor), Tom Williams (bass), and Fred Hughes (keyboards), with Keith Killgo dynamic on drums.
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