Judging by the music on this album with stablemates Tamir Hendelman/p, John Clayton/b and Jeff Hamilton/dr, it’s a pretty safe bet that the major influence in guitarist Graham Dechter’s musical experience has to be either Herb Ellis or a generation back to Charlie Christian. Dechter’s got a clean, bluesy bop to his strings, and he makes the strings bounce and cut like a laser beam when he digs in on sizzling pieces like “Billy’s Dilemma” or the bluesy groove of “Orange Coals”. Hamilton’s brushes are like Michaelangelo’s, adding to the soul of the R&Bish “Reference”. Hendelman plays ping pong with Clayton on the bopper “Bent On Monk” and is graceful with the leader on the title tune. Not a wasted note, and the shaded tones cast great indigo’d shadows on the shuffling “Minor Influence”. I’d see these guys any day of the week!