Play Zone is the sophomore effort from
George Mitchell, 20-year veteran of
Diana Ross' band. Here, he's more at home, playing more straightforward jazz piano (with some exceptions) and making use of a fine ensemble of Portland jazzmen. The basis of the album is jazz piano, but, that said, the group wanders often into territory of the blues and motifs from Brazil and Europe. The group dynamic works well here, with a good deal of group improvisation filling in the gaps between swing sessions, but allowing for extended solos on the part of the various players as well. The works are almost entirely originals, with the exception of Slow, Hot, Wind from
Mancini, the old
Kern/Hammerstein standard All the Things You Are, and a reworking of Body and Soul retitled Thank You, New York. There's perhaps nothing entirely out of the ordinary here; nothing that begs for national exposure, but the album is a quality one. The players are all quite good, the compositions and arrangements enjoyable, and the group as a whole entirely coherent. The Portland scene isn't known for any specific performers on the national scene or any particular style of note, but this is a solid album worth a listen or two on its own merits. ~ Adam Greenberg