Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt has made a career going back and forth on the acoustic-electric mode. For my money, and I think this recent release proves, his winning ticket is the unplugged. His tone and delivery are just too beautiful to be hidden behind electron support. And as for support, on this album he’s got the best: Ron Carter/b, billy Drummond/dr and Danny Grissett/p do wonders on this album of eight songs divided into two parts. Pelt and Drummond sound like stablemates on the hip and driving “Baswald’s Place” while the read of Cole Porter’s “Dream Dancing” have the two moving like Rogers and Astaire. Drummond does some nice driving on “The Haunting” that lets Pelt flex his muscles, while Carter-Carter! Is in glorious form as he plays jai-alai with Pelt on the swinging “Einbahnstrasse.” Through it all, Pelt’s horn just glows like polished brash; just enough vibrato, just enough slur and just enough romance to make you come back for more. No Jive in this culture. Excellent!
High Note Records