Grant Stewart is a solid mainstream tenor saxophonist who has proven himself to be well-versed in the jazz canon over his many albums as a leader. After recording several CDs for Sharp Nine with a traditional piano trio,
Stewart opted for different backing for this 2010 session, with guitarist
Peter Bernstein, bassist Peter Washington (who has recorded more than once with him), and drummer
Phil Stewart. Opening with a nimble, hard-blowing bop setting of the the old 1920s war horse "Get Happy,"
Stewart switches to soprano sax for
Tadd Dameron's infrequently performed "The Scene Is Clean," cooling things off a bit. There are several less familiar songs, including a robust interpretation of
Alec Wilder's "That's My Girl," a snappy take of
Duke Ellington's "Blue Rose" (which also showcases Washington to good effect), and pianist
Barry Harris' cheerful bop vehicle "Around the Corner."
Stewart again switches to soprano for a heartfelt rendition of the bittersweet ballad "Maybe September." Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden