On their third release for the MAMA Foundation,
the B Sharp Jazz Quartet was clearly looking to stretch their appeal beyond a jazz audience. The opening and closing verbal narrations are rather forgettable if harmless and a few of the numbers are more groove-oriented than one might expect. However the band has not given up its left-of-center nature and there are plenty of stirring improvisations by Randall Willis (doubling on tenor and soprano) and pianist-organist Rodney Lee while bassist Osama Afifi and drummer Herb Graham Jr. (who co-leads the group with Willis) offer fine support. Most memorable are such originals as "Twelve Tone Blue," "How Dare You," "Church Bells" and the brooding "Nami." ~ Scott Yanow