Pianist Michael Wolff and drummer Mike Clark continue their expedition to find the Northwest Passage along with Christian McBride-Daryl Jones/b, Hailey Niswanger/sax and Wallace Roney/tp through a collection of impressive originals and clever covers. Brilliant choices of material abound: The band swings with Niswanger’s sax on a hip “Sunshine Of Your Love” while you’re gonna raise your eyebrows in joy at the brilliant take of Prince’s “1999.” Wallace Roney’s horn glows on an assertive “A Night In Tunisia” and Ornette Coleman’s “Invisible” gets torn apart log a kitten with catnip. The trio shows it’s debt to all things Spherical with a takes of Thelonious Monk’s “In Walked Bud” and “Monk’s Dream” bouncing with ebullience. The two leaders display deft interplay on a percussive read of “Gingerbread Boy” while more simpatico moments are spotlighted on “Mulgrew.” Impressive small group workout on a variety of levels.
Random Act Records