Pianist Michael Jefry Stevens sticks to brass tacks here as two trombones supplied by Steve Swell and Dave Taylor combine with two trumpets from Dave Ballou and Ed Sarath to sound off on some crafty pieces conducted by Amy Kohn.
The fact that there is even a conductor should give a hint that this session leans more on the “modern classical” side of things. Hints of a marching band are felt on “Variables” and some charts that should make Grambling College take note get down on the funky “Temperature Rising.” Warm tones meld well on “Ping Pong”, and even though there is no “rhythm” instrument per se, the horns take turns keeping the beat, with a staccato cadence on “12 Chatham Road.” At times, the feel gets squawky as on “”Forty Degrees Celsius” and “Ten Degrees Celsius” making this feel like a section workout for Stan Kenton’s orchestra.