This is not your “Jimmy Smith” styled organ outing; think more “Larry Young” in terms of harmonics and rhythms. Leader Craig Yarenko performs on the soprano, alto and tenor saxes as well as soprano and alto flute along with Matt King/org and Jonathon Peretz/dr on this mix of originals and jazz standards. The trio takes well known material such as “Jitterbug Waltz” or “Little Sunflower” and adds extra textures or changes in tempo to keep you on your toes, while Thelonious Monk’s “Bye-Ya” sounds eccentrically at home, particularly with guitarist Vic Juris guesting. The trio’s own material such as “Three’s A Crowd” and “Beach Blanket Bebop” is clever, catchy and shows some telepathic interplay, and elasticity, spotlighting the selling feature of a small working unit.
OA2 Records