Most of the time you think of steel pans, your mind goes to vacations in the Bahamas or Jamaica. Leon Foster Thomas turns them into a true jazz instrument here. Along with Martin Bejerano/p, Kurt Hengstebeck/b, Michael Piolet/dr, Jean XCaze/tp, David Palma/ts-fl, Fernando Ulibarri/g, John Daversa/tp-evi and Sammy Figueroa/perc, Thomas takes hold of some advanced and tricky post bop like “Cry of Hope” an d”Kai-Fusion.” The steel pans sound hip and snappy along with Hengstebecks bass on “Midnight Refrain” and Bejarano’s piano adds to the easy blues of “In the Corner” and funky “Dubplate Swing.” Daversa adds some electronica to the noirish “Unknown Memory” and Figueroa’s extra percussion adds spice to the sizzling “Delusion Of A Dream.” The lone cover is a clever take of the pop hit “Whiter Shade of Pale” which allows the soft side of everyone to get appreciated. This guy means business!
Ropeadope Records