Gregory Tardy is a Young Lion of the late '90s, a superior and advanced hard bop player with superior technique, flexibility and a gradually developing sound of his own. Best-known for being a member of the
Tom Harrell Quintet (
Harrell guests on one selection and fellow trumpeter
Russell Gunn is on two), Tardy has the potential to become an original in the future. Although he contributed six of the nine selections to this CD (most being moderately complex pieces that serve as vehicles for his passionate solos), and as is often the case, the strongest melodies are the standards. In this case "Prisoner of Love" (taken as a duet with
Mulgrew Miller, who shares the piano duties with
Aaron Goldberg) and
Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now" are two of the main highlights. This is not an essential disc but a strong step forward for the young tenor saxophonist. ~ Scott Yanow