Drummer Chris Beck leads a smoking vintage post bop team through his originals on this impressive session. He was able to grab Terell Safford for the trumpet part, which doesn’t exactly hurt, but the band of Stacy Dillard/ts, Anthony Wonsey/p and Eric Wheeler/b aren’t left in the dust either.
Beck sets the pace with a snappy intro to assert himself for the pulsating modal tune “Mahjong,” allowing Dillard’s rich tenor to fill the room. Wonsey’s McCoy Tyner-influenced rich chords and solos are percussive here an on the cantering “Ode to Mother Young” while the horns gloriously harmonicze. Beck and Wonsey do a nice gospel groove as Wheeler takes you to church on “Yeshua (His Love)” while the team gets bluesy during “Hodge-Podge.” Stafford is a delight throughout, especially when he mutes his horn on the delicate “Quintessence” as Beck adds sublime support before the leader steps out in front and sings some soulful lyrics on a dreamy “My Inner Circle.” Beck covers all the bases on this winning combination of bop and soul, in the realest of all senses.