Reservoir report

[Larry Kart]

Yesterday by way of Tommy's Jazz I got my order of ten Reservoir CDs. Initial thoughts as I sample along:

John Hicks' trio album "Beyond Expectations" (with Ray Drummond and Smitty Smith) is solid gold. I coiuld kick myself for not delving into Hicks' work under his own name before, much as I've liked him as a sideman. He was a superb, quite individual player.

 

Nick Brignola's "All Business," with Dave Pike, guitarist Chuck D'Aloia, John Pattitucci, and Billy Hart. Nick's up tempo take on "Pent-Up House," a virtual duet with Hart, is something else -- rip-roaring, as one might expect from Brignola, but SO coherent that it's almost a composition in itself. Excellent Jim Anderson sound.

Moving on.