All too frequently a young jazz musician slumps on the immediate follow-up CD to a successful debut; fortunately, this is not the case with guitarist
Mark Whitfield. Accompanied by veterans
Kenny Barron,
Ron Carter, and
Jack DeJohnette, the leader blisters the old spiritual "Go Down Moses," while he shares his subtle side with clarinetist
Alvin Batiste in a gently swinging "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen." Switching to acoustic guitar, he delves into traditional blues with his lively "Baby M's Bayou Blues," while his ambitious "Patrice" features his solo instrument interacting with the vocal harmonies of Group 5.
Mark Whitfield made it clear that he was on the jazz scene to stay with this well-conceived release. ~ Ken Dryden