Tom McCormick plays a rich and thick old school sounding tenor sax on this enjoyable hard bopping session. He brings together Pete Wallace/p, Nicky Orta-Eric England/g, Carlomango Araya-David Chiverton/dr, Doug Michels/tp-fh, John Kricker/tb, Humberto Ibarra/gu, Edwin Bonilla/perc and some guests for ten pieces divided between originals and covers.
His own “South Beat” is a soulful and funky bopper, with the percussion sizzling, while the Latin “Iridescece” features his rich tone and the sauntering “Blue Cha” spotlights is lithe flute. “Naima” has some nicely pulsed grooves supplied by Wallace and England, whereas the album closes with a salsa’d read of “Alone Together” that keeps in your head for awhile. Impressive and rich.