Six tracks by a cracking sextet led by the wonderfully named Adonis Rose celebrating the music of New Orleans legend the iconic Gregg Hill. Still active in his home town Hill has over 200 songs to his credit. Four of them are on this album with the other two being by Jarrett and Strayhorn respectively.
All six tracks, apart from the delightful instrumental - Melissa's Tune and Lush Life which is just voice and piano - are bookended by Manuel's vocals. They're very much Hendricks inspired with a touch of Hartman thrown in for good measure. A highlight, one of many, is his scatting alongside the three horns on Jarrett's Bop Be. All four go for it, no holds barred, no quarter given - just four guys slugging it out.
Lush Life is quite dramatic with Finch's imaginative comping behind the vocal giving it an almost theatrical performance. Had they still been alive Cole and Hartman would be looking over their shoulders.
Away from the vocals Finch's solos are amazing. As our man in NYC, Nick Mondello, might say they are boffo! The horns too were worthy of that adjective. Rex Gregory gets an extra boffo for his arrangements.
The album was kept stomping, swinging, rocking, rolling and bebopping by Moran's bass and the leader's drumming: drumming as it is drummed in New Orleans today or, on this occasion, Switzerland. Love it! Lance
First Impulse; Tone Colors; Bop Be; Cat's Cradle; Melissa's Tune; Lush Life
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