Drummer Joe Farnsworth has been the pulse for bands lead by Harold Mabern, Eric Alexander, Pharoah Sanders and Benny Golson, so he knows how to drive the big engines. Here, he leads a trio for half the time with classy pianist Kenny Barron and always reliable bassist Peter Washington, and then brings in ex-boss Wynton Marsalis to blow his horn for the first handful of tracks .The result is a audio workshop on how to play the drums for the ages.
Farnsworth gives a 6 minute class during his solo tribute to the recently departed icon on the tasty “One For Jimmy Cobb”, essentially revisiting these classic techniques throughout the rest of the album. His brushes are suave to Marsalis’ mute on the swinging “Hesitation” and he gives a gospel beat along after taking the plate from Washington and having Marsalis plunges and preach from the pulpit on “Down By the Riverside”. Barron is soft and relaxed with graceful hands as Marsalis taps into his inner Ruby Braff with Farnsworth bass drum supplying a rich foundation on “Darn That Dream”.
In trio format, Barron is as nimble as a punt returner on the intricate “Lumeria” while his elegant intro to the bossa’d read of “Prelude To A Kiss” is transcendental. Farnsworth snaps everyone to attention with his intro to “Monk’s Dream” and sashays across the stage like Astaire on “Star Crossed Lovers”, showing he also knows how to pop the clutch on the driving “Time Was”. Eternal sticks.