Alan Broadbent is one of those pianists, like Tommy Flanagan, Bill Charlap or Harold Mabern, that is simply incapable of playing a classy note. He plays to his strength here, in trio format, with the rich bass work of Harvie S and drummer Billy Mintz on a collection of tunes that reveals Broadbent’s dna, namely bebop.
Hints of Bud Powell flash all around, as on a buoyant “I Love You”, and the rapid running “The Hymn” with the pianist glistening like a night on 52nd Street. Mintz delivers high hat heaven to the crisp Parker classic “Relaxin’ At Camarillo” and his brushes dust of the swinging take of “Wonder Why” and the clever samba’d “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue”. Bassist Harvie S digs deep on the tricky lines of “Lennie’s Pennies” and gives some rich hues to the blue toned “Late Lament”. Unpretentious and utterly timeless.