Mike Smith wears his
Cannonball Adderley influences proudly, and on this tribute disk the parallels are even more evident. That said,
Smith, a fine, articulate player and capable leader, is just as easily recognizable as a disciple of
Phil Woods or
Sonny Stitt, players with a more precise, incisive approach to the alto sax compared to
Adderley's earthy virtuosity. Generally,
Smith and company make tidier packages of these pieces than the
Adderley quintet did in the late '50s and early to mid-'60s. What the Chicago-based
Smith and company dispense with in unbridled soul, they make up for with tight ensemble playing and coolly incandescent solo work. Pianist
Jodie Christian is a main contributor to the clean lines that shape these performances. Trumpeter
Ron Friedman, like
Smith, brings his own bright, agile sound to the session. Guitarist
Sid Jacobs is on hand for one track, the jazz samba "La Luz de la Luna," the only
Smith original on the CD. This set usefully includes a full-length airing of
Sam Jones' title track, which the
Adderley quintet used in truncated form to signal breaks between sets. The inclusion of
Nat Adderley's ballad "Pisces" is also valuable, since the version by
Nat's group was recorded -- to its detriment -- with Age of Aquarius hipster vocals from Los Angeles DJ Rick Holmes on the 1972 LP
Soul Zodiac. (Brother
Nat also contributes
Unit 7's liner notes.) While made with audible care and skill, this 1990 release remains content to bask in the shadows of the
Adderley quintet, rather than use it as a point of departure to new musical horizons.