After putting out a series of studio-recorded CDs during the 1990s that received a lot of airplay on jazz radio stations,
Mark Elf finally released his first live CD. The guitarist is in excellent form throughout, joined by bassist Neal Miner and drummer Joe Strasser.
Elf's driving take of
Horace Silver's "Quicksilver," a rapid-fire "52nd Street Theme," and his lyrical arrangement of "Stella By Starlight" are among the highlights of the featured standards.
Elf only plays one original, but includes two separate takes of "109 West," a strutting blues that's quite effective in either rendition. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden