Guitarist and composer Davy Mooney leads the folksy team of all star drummer Brian Blade, pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist matt Clohesy and John Ellis on tenor sax, soprano sax and bass clarinet through a collection of easy swinging and gentle moods, recorded at the National Sawdust in Brooklyn in January, right before the COVID shutdown. It all sounds so innocent here.
Mooney supplies an easy pace along with Clohesy’s bass for Ellis’ lithe soprano on “Kid Flash” and the folksy flow of “Milly’s Song” while Ellis switches to bass clarinet for Money to give a Chet Baker-inspired vocal to the intimate “Moon Song”. Mooney’s pickings are clever to Blades clever sticks on “Wrinkles” with Ellis’ tenor breathing easy here as on the strolling ”Zona Leste”. Cowherd provides some nice saloon swinging on ‘Prospectin’ while the set ends with Mooney creating calm waters on “Swingset”. It all sounds so joyful and relaxed. Who knew that this would be one of the last gigs for all involved for awhile? Savor the serenity.