Pianist Skip Wilkins teams with tenor sax brother Dan along with bassist Tony Marino and drummer Bill Goodwin for a rich delivery of bopping standards.
Having kept the beat for the likes of Phil Woods and Gary Burton among others, Goodwin sounds like he’s in hard bop heaven on the easy swing of “Why Do I Love You?” and the upbeat “I Walk With Music”. Dan has a sound, tone and delivery that is reminiscent of Hank Mobley and Sonny Rollins, middle to heavy in weight, with an irresistible vibrato and pulse, agonizing on the warm “I’ll Never Smile Again”. Skip delivers on a gorgeous duet on “I Was So Young”, glows on “I’m Making Believe” and Marino takes the lead on a pleading “Brother Can You Spare A Dime?” Comfort food swing.