Finely executed and well played in all respects, this is a fine example of the genre of hard bop in the mid '90s. If it sounds somewhat derivative, it is. Nonetheless, the studio recording catches the group in fine form. The front line of tenor saxophonist Billy Pierce and trumpeter Brian Lynch is no-nonsense in every respect. Pierce continues to be underrated, probably due to his understated approach, yet, his solos are logically perfect, even if they sometimes lack emotion. Lynch is the more fiery of the horns, with a debt, perhaps, to Tom Harrell. Leader Fintan O'Neill is a good, if undistinguished, pianist, who boasts strong technique and an adequate, if unspectacular, sense of rhythm. Guitarist David O'Rourke joins the group for a couple of numbers, to good effect. The choice of tunes is modest, yet appropriate, in keeping with the general tone.
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