Rob McConnell's
Boss Brass has produced 25 years of solid music-making, most of it in the swinging bebop tradition. The music on this Concord CD has more than its share of surprises, such as a bar of 3/4 put in one chorus of "4 B.C.," phrases "borrowed" from
Bob Florence and inserted in "Riffs I Have Known," and an inventive version of "Flying Home." Among the other high points are trumpeter
Guido Basso's feature on "Imagination," Eugene Amaro's tenor on "What Am I Here For," and a driving "Broadway." This solid effort is recommended to big band fans. ~ Scott Yanow