An all-star frontline of
Tom Harrell,
Joe Lovano, and
Phil Woods head this impressive sextet record on the Chesky label. The writing on
Upswing is inspired throughout, as is generally the case on
Harrell's albums. The addition of a third horn allows
Harrell to create colors in his arrangements that weren't possible with the two-horn format of many of his previous recordings. The playing on the
Upswing is uniformly exceptional.
Harrell sticks to flugelhorn for most of the date, often favoring it in situations that would instinctively call for trumpet, and sounds marvelously lyrical throughout. Tenorist
Joe Lovano also plays strongly, contributing a wonderfully aggressive and energetic solo on
Harrell's "Train Shuffle." Fans of altoist
Phil Woods will be delighted by his performance here, as he sounds in fine voice, bringing his idiosyncratic pitch bends and witty in-jokes to the session. Pianist
Danilo Perez accompanies enthusiastically, raising the intensity of all those involved.
Upswing should be considered an essential purchase for those interested in exploring the
Harrell discography. ~ Dan Cross