Without a piano or guitar, the mood is light, spacious and flexible for this session lead by soft toned Kenny Wheeler and his bates Stan Sulzmann/ts, John Parricelli/g, Chris Laurence/b and Martin France/dr. Except for the slightly jarring guitar and honking horn on “1076” the sounds are sublime and creamy, with fragrant melding of horns and graceful interplay between the strings on “Seventy-Six” and a yearning between Wheeler and Parricelli during the canter of “Nonetheless.”
There is a calling and conversing between the horns that is alluring while the bowed bass and guitar effects supply framework on “Pretty Liddle Waltz” and a romantic tango takes you to Argentine with a hint of a militaristic march on
“Sly Eyes” while Wheeler trots with a rose within his teeth. Sulzmann’s tenor is warm and fluid fith hints of guitar flames on “Old Time” and spacious strings are picked as a lovely environment for the warm breeze of the brass on “The Long Waiting.” As open as a field after a misty rain.
ECM Records