The unorthodox trio of guitarist Gary Schwartz, saxist Alexandre Cote and drummer Jim Doxas mix standards bridged by inquisitive and playful originals. Cote’s alto is pungent and rich, and it works well with Schwartz’s sandied tone on easy swingers like “Close Your Eyes” and the pungent read of “Monk’s Dream.” Schwartz’s own “The Cove” is a thoughtful and dreamy joy, lightly pulsed by Doxas’ coaxing cymbal while the team gets funky on a back beating “You Stepped Out of a Dream.” The 6 “Bridge” themes that connect the longer compositions show the frisky side ef each member as well as their ability to dig into a deep groove. Creative and clever.
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