A Philly love fest is delivered by trumpeter Terell Stafford as he leads the Temple University Jazz Band through a tribute to the recently departed Philadelphian bopper Jimmy Heath. Along with fellow local guests like Joey DeFrancesco/org and Christian McBride/b, Stafford mixes Heath’s clever compositions with some standards and originals in a satisfying salute.
McBride’s fingers are in digital heaven on his energetic solo over the punching sections of “Passing The Torch” , a powerful “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and a suave noirish “The Wise Old Owl”. Joey D hums and pulls the plugs on the bopping tricky chart of “In That Order” and sizzles with Stafford on “Perdido”. Earth toned vocalist Danielle Dougherty delivers a husky “Please Don’t Talk About Me” and is defiant on a noir alley of “The Blues Ain’t Nothing…”. The charts here are first rate, and Stafford leads by serving, letting the music serve as the better tribute than any speech. As satisfying as extra cheese at Pat’s Steakhouse.