Kenny Lavender does just about everything but sweep the studio floor here. He playes the trumpet and flugelhorn, writes much of the music here, arranges it all, and leaves off some spare time to sing a handful of the big band charts as well.
There are some hip pieces such as “Velocity” and fluffy with flutes “Happiness” that display Lavender’s caressing horn along with Nathan Childers/sax and Rich Germanson/p doing some rich soloing. Some funk rises up on ”9th Ave Swag” and the horn sections get a workout on the standard “Caravan.” Lavender’s voice sounds street smart on the Crescent City stomper “Down in NOLA” and he’s got a bluesy swagger on”As I Close My Eyes” but his voice falters a tad on ”Flow Through Me” and “I Could Write A Book” before he takes up the horn again for a bass grooved closing “Una Mas” that snaps like baked potato chips. Impressive band that is stylish enough to make you hang in there with the “give it all you got” horn player/singer.
Kenny Lavender Music