This trio album led by bassist Harvie S has a great “live” feel to it. No wonder, as it includes perennial touring man Mike Stern on guitar along with drummer Alan Dawson from a series of gigs back in 1985 at Cambridge, MA’s 369 Club.. Even more fun is the fact that they give post bop readings of jazz standards (along with one Stern original), so you get to see how Stern handles the bop songbook.
Are you surprised that he handles it fantastically? He’s fluid and dark during “On Green Dolphin Street” and artsy with S for Horace Silver’s “Peace”. Dawson gives a hi hat pulse for S’s solo on “Softly, As IN Morning Sunrise” and drives Stern like Walter Brennan on a covered wagon run for “Moment’s Notice”. Stern and S give a pretty take of Chick Corea’s “Windows” before the team stretches out for 15 minutes with Stern piercing the atmosphere with wailing rock and stratospheric soloing on the shuffling “Bruze”. If this team ever gets back together to tour, line up!