Don Braden has long been a top-notch hard bop tenor saxophonist. For this quartet date with pianist
Xavier Davis, bassist
Dwayne Burno, and drummer
Cecil Brooks III, the arrangements by
Braden and the choice of songs greatly uplift the program. There are many high points, including the opening ballad "She's on Her Way," tributes to
Stanley Turrentine ("Sweet T") and
Grover Washington Jr. ("Not Yet"), a driving "Invitation," a duet with drummer
Brooks ("Underground Groove"), and the swinging
Cecil Brooks original "Montclair." Everything works! This is one of
Don Braden's finest recordings so far, a well-conceived and very successful project. ~ Scott Yanow