The 1994 debut by
the B Sharp Jazz Quartet is quite impressive. The L.A.-based group, whose roots are in hard bop while being very open to the influences of the avant-garde, performs nine originals by bandmembers, plus John Coltrane's "Naima." Comprised of drummer Herb Graham, Jr., saxophonist Randall Willis, pianist Eliot Douglass, and bassist Reggie Carson, the quartet creates a wide-ranging and colorful set that is well worth picking up. ~ Scott Yanow