Here’s a thoroughly accessible and enjoyable release by bassist Orlando le Flaming, as he mixes up some swinging modern jazz with toe taping backbeats. He teams up with Frank LoCrasto/key, Greg Tuohey/g, Lenny Reece-Ari Hoenig/dr and Seamus Blake/ts-ss for most of the pieces, with a few guest appearances to boot. The team shows it can rock and swing at the same time with Blake’s tenor in a rich mood on the peppy “Pretentious Brooklyn” with the leader laying down a nice set of licks on the upbeat “Mr. Grumble.” Blake sighs with delight wit h his tenor on the moody “Melancholy” while on soprano creating an impressionistic “Ellington” as le Fleming and Hoenig link together for a tight knot. Tuohey is impressive on the deep pocketed “Smirk” and veers through the soul train of “And That Sort of Thing” like a long boarder. Le Fleming puts the “fun” back in “funky” with this one.
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