Guitarist Tony Davis shows a strong John Scofield influence on this rich textured collection of originals and standards. He’s got a core team of David Bryant/p, Dezron Douglas/b and Eric McPherson/dr along with guest all stars in trombonist Steve Davis and saxist-flutist Steve Wilson and cameos by vocalist Alina Engibaryan and drummer JK Kim.
Davis’s is dark and palpable in tone as he swings with clarity on pieces such as his elliptical “Hypnagogia” and the title pieces” with the team rocking a la Police a bit with a thicker sound on “El Gran Birane” with some nice work by Bryant in the process”. McPherson’s cymbal coaxes the stallions well on the bopping “Night Ride” and lays down a nice samba for Wilson’s flute on the classy “Sinha”. Wilson’s sax is dark and modal on “Braeburn” and the team is lyrical on Hendrix’s “May This Be Love”. Angibaryan is a plus to the situation, classy to Davis’ chiming strings and Kim’s brushes on “Orange Feathers” and misty on the soulful “Lake Sebago”. Rich post modern musings.