Tenor and soprano saxophonist
Virginia Mayhew is swinging and confident on her sophomore outing. While not a particularly bold stylist, she is a solid writer and interpreter of canonical post-bop jazz. Her sextet includes two fellow young female jazzers, trumpeter
Ingrid Jensen and drummer
Allison Miller, as well as the hardened veterans
Harvie Swartz on bass and
Kenny Barron on piano.
Adam Cruz also adds percussion on several tracks. The first four pieces are
Mayhew originals. Beginning with funky blues on "Hi-ya, Mama!" the group then expertly handles the fast, modal swing of "Apple Flambé," the 5/4 Latin of "The Visit We Missed," and the flowing waltz time of "Never Enough."
Kenny Barron, in particular, elevates
Mayhew's work, and the frontline rapport between
Mayhew and
Jensen is quite strong. There's some solid repertoire on the rest of the session as well:
Dave Holland's difficult 5/4 Latin piece "The Oracle,"
John Coltrane's burning "Grand Central," originals by
Swartz and
Barron, and a beautiful piano/tenor duo rendition of
Duke Ellington's "Don't You Know I Care." ~David R. Adler