One of the true carriers of the Hard Bop torch, alto saxist Bobby Watson plays to his strengths at February 20, 2020 gig (must’ve been right before the COVID lockdown) with a classic quintet team of pianist Victor Gould, bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Jones while he shares the front line with either trumpeter Josh Evans or Giveton Gellin for a collection of swinging material.Watson keeps the material fresh, as he arranges Charlie Parker’s “Mohawk” in a slower fashion, giving it a more modal feel, and giving some mellow soul along with Gellin and Jones’ lilting pulse on Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free”. Other pleasantries include a lovely reading of Miles Davis’ “Flamenco Sketches” that has Watson and Gould glowing like charcoal embers and Jones laying down a SHAFT-y beat for the funky “My Song”. The team gets into hard bop heaven as the dig deep on Jackie McLean’s “Condition Blue” and get into a gospel groove on the sanctified title piece. These guys make it sound so easy, but if it were, why isn’t there more music like this? The question also remains is if there will ever be “live” gigs like this again in NYC.