Pianist, composer and arranger Bill Anschell displays some chart smarts on this album with Chris Symer/b, Jose Martinez, Brian Monroney/g, Jeff Busch/perc, Jeff Coffin/ss, Richard Cole/ts and Hans Teuber/sax-fl. His arranging skills show some creative work on the covers, taking in Theolonious Monk’s quirky “Misterioso” and gets it rocking by adding some bluesy guitar, while The Beatles’ “For No One” mixes Latin grooves with post bop solos in a trio setting.
His own material is quite original, with a rich touch on the piano for a baroque-flavored line with Teuber on “Captive Light” while Coffin’s soprano sax creates some longing hues with the cantering pace on the title track. Anschell’s piano chimes on the group setting on a pair of Metheny-esqe tunes, “39F” and “Heisenberg’s Fugue State” and closes out the satisfying album in solo form with an intimate and thoughtful “Reflections in D.” Warm hearted grooves.