Bassist
Luther Hughes' third CD leading his group the
Cannonball-Coltrane Project picks up where the first two left off, drawing from the stylistic influences of the two saxophone greats but also incorporating a number of strong originals and arrangements by the band's members.
Hughes reworked
Miles Davis' "All Blues" by altering the time signature, and in one section the harmony, giving it a light-hearted, funky flavor. Alto saxophonist
Bruce Babad reshaped
Oscar Pettiford's "Bohemia After Dark" by setting it at a breezy tempo, featuring his punchy alto,
Ed Czach's driving piano and
Hughes' fluid bassline. But most of the performances are thoughtful originals, highlighted by tenor saxophonist
Glenn Cashman's warm tribute to
Howard Rumsey ("Lighthouse Keeping Man"), drummer
Paul Kreibich's punchy hard bop vehicle "Fast Trak," and the leader's upbeat "Spectacular," a lively reworking of the standard "There Will Never Be Another You."