Pianist Peter Horvath mixes straight-ahead with smooth R&B here with an impressive rotating cast that includes Victor Bailey/b, Ricky Lawson/dr, Bob Mintzer/ts, Lenny White/dr, Peter Michael Escovedo/perc and Randy Brecker/tp.
Horvath composes all of the material, and it’s all strong and accessible. You get some funky James Brown riffs with horns on the title track, and a hint of Earth Wind and Fire” with Ray Obiedo’s wah wah guitar on the dancable “Fake Out.” Easy and laid back grooves have Mintzer’s tenor caressing “Carla” while Kenny Washington’s voice floats with gentle brass and woodwinds on “Nassau Nights.” Brecker is Miles Davis hip on the muted trumpet as Horvath gets boppy on “Foreign Matter” and when he switches to the Rhodes, dashes of the Crusaders stir up the oul on “ Sardegna.” A solo piano closes the album with “Braden’s Song,” making you wish for an entire album of such lyricism. Impressive stuff for the Baked Potato crowd!