Steve Davis is one of the breed of young boppers whom have mastered the idiom. Here, the trombonist leads a group mostly culled from
One for All, a conglomeration of extraordinary musicians who perform regularly together in the Big Apple. Veteran pianist
Harold Mabern joins them, adding experience and depth.
Davis plays a mean 'bone, strongly indebted to
Curtis Fuller. Like
Fuller, he sticks to the middle range of the horn, boasts a somewhat nasal tone, and plays smoothly at almost any tempo. He is also a good, if cautious, composer. Tenor saxophonist
Eric Alexander continues to grow both in stature and skill, and contributes solidly with strong solos. While there is nothing revolutionary or new in the group's playing, there is a strong sense of camaraderie and precision that lifts this performance to a higher level. ~ Steve Loewy