Composer and band leader Peter Leitch delivers and ambitious two disc set from studio and concert performances. The 15 member band includes all stars Steve Wilson and Dave Pietro on saxes and are propelled by the swinging drums of Joe Strasser. Most of the tunes are originals, although the team does a pretty take of “Spring Is Here” with impressive piano by Peter Zack and guitar work from Phil Robson, while “Round Midnight” has some wondrously dark shads from Robson’s strings.
Wilson swings easy surrounded by Tim Harrison’s and Jed Levy’s flutes on “Mood For Max” and Levy salutes a tenor sax legend on his own horn for “Clifford Jordan”. The sections lurk well for Bill Mobley’s trumpet on “Portrait Of Sylvia” and Matt Haviland’s trombone gets sliding safely into third on “Brilliant Blue, Twilight Blue”. The charts are modern yet accessible and always optimistic. Check this guy out.