On this excellent piano trio date,
Mike LeDonne explores four of his swinging originals (including "Sir Rah," named backwards for
Barry Harris) plus songs by
Wes Montgomery,
Duke Ellington ("Tonight I Shall Sleep"),
Don Redman, and
Milt Jackson ("The Rev"). Pianist
LeDonne works well with bassist
Dennis Irwin and drummer
Kenny Washington, and their interplay is one of the main reasons to acquire this fine hard bop outing. Their playing on "The Rev" is particularly soulful.
Mike LeDonne, an unsung hero of the New York modern straight-ahead jazz scene, is always worth checking out. ~ Scott Yanow