Famed drummer Jimmy Cobb, most noted for his stints with Wes Montgomery as well as being with Miles Davis on the classic album Kind of Blue, is the featured guest for pianist Emmet Cohen’s swinging trio of an album. Yasushi Nakamura brings the bass along to complete the group, and Godwin Louis loans his alto sax for a couple of tracks, those being the sensuous “Folk Song” and the Earl Bostic flavored groover “Hard Times.”
The trio material here is a sonic textbook on what is right about jazz. Cobb’s cymbal rides the wagon train for Cohen’s lyrical work for “On the Trail,” and snaps like snow peas for the cozy chords of “Two Bass Hit.” The team is hep as all get out on “Interlude” and Cohen’s hands are as soft as a knuckler baller’s catcher’s mitt on “When I Fall in Love.” The trio bops with kinetic delight on “Concerto for Cobb” and “ If This Isn’t Love” while Nakamura’s bass leads on the waltz-like read of “ Flamingo.” Timeless sounds!