In his series of releases for V.S.O.P., drummer
Danny D'Imperio has successfully kept hard bop not only alive, but creative and fresh. This CD has one of his finest recordings. The arrangements are quite inventive; the 11 rarely recorded songs are superior (including
Quincy Jones' "Jessica's Day,"
Freddie Redd's "Thespian" and
Lee Morgan's "Need I"), and the musicians (in settings up to a ten-piece) sound quite inspired. Their rendition of
Bud Powell's complex "Glass Enclosure" is quite definitive. Among the star soloists are trumpeter
Greg Gisbert, altoist Gary Pribek,
Ralph Lalama on tenor and pianist
Hod O'Brien. A high-quality and frequently exciting CD that rewards repeated listenings.