Smoke Sessons is quickly becoming one of my favorite labels. They specialize in concert recordings from NYC, and each one so far has been a hummer. This one by hard bopping alto saxist Vincent Herring is no exception. He’s fronting a snappy quintet of Jeremy Pelt/tp, Mike LeDonne/p, Brandi Disterheft/b and Joe Farnsworth/dr through a manly selection of tunes.
The front line sizzles on the crisp and driving “Grind Hog’s Day” and vintage Blue Noter “Walton” which both feature some sparkling horn work by Pelt and deep pockets from the rhythm section. Pelt’s horn glows warmly on the bouncy “Theme For Jobim” while LeDonne’s piano is graceful on “The Gypsy.” Herring himself is baptized in the bebop gospel on “Wabash” and shines like a full moon on “There Is Something About You (I Don’t Know” while Herring’s own “The Adventures of Hyun Joo Lee” has the horns locked in the Giant Steps groove. A toe tapper and finger clicker!
Smoke Sessions Records