Pianist Jeff Holmes leads an erudite team here on a mix of originals and standards with Adam Kolker/ss-ts-bcl, James Cammack/b, and Steve Johns/dr. The thing that hits you about this session is that the sound seems bigger than the sum of its parts. There is a fullness to this team that is palpable. Kolker on tenor teams up with the leader to deliver a late Monkish sounding “Macaroons” while the graceful “Waltz#3” skates like Dorothy Hamill. There’s a chamber music feel on their version of “Poinciana” that has Kolker’s bass clarinet gurgling over the reflective chords, while Holmes’ dreamy piano caresses the ivories on “Rose On Driftwood. “ The band closes the disc with a clever choice, a nod to The Sound of Music with a driving and joyful “So Long, Farewell” that has Johns driving the team home in a Hummer. Nice outing!
Miles High Records