With so many young artists focusing exclusively on recording their workable though usually not particularly memorable originals, veteran trumpeter John McNeil, who knows something about composing lasting songs, decided to focus instead on overlooked songs in his second recorded meeting with tenor saxophonist
Bill McHenry, bassist
Joe Martin, and drummer
Jochen Rueckert, taped live at the Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City. Although "Moonlight in Vermont" is considered a standard, McNeil gives it an eerie Oriental introduction with
McHenry droning on held notes before taking it to more familiar ground. Their explorations of pianist
Russ Freeman's twisted
Lennie Tristano-like "Batter Up" and his infectious Latin rhumba "Maid in Mexico" are full of humor. It's likely that McNeil learned
Thad Jones' "Three and One" while he was a member of
the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, but in any case, the quartet's upbeat treatment, highlighted by McNeil's playful solo, demonstrates that this jazz standard is in good hands. Trumpeter
Wilbur Harden is nearly forgotten today, though his loping composition "Wells Fargo" deserves to be played more often; the bandmembers take their time savoring this overlooked gem. In addition to enjoying the great music, puzzle fans will have fun trying to decode this CD's anagram title in their spare time. ~ Ken Dryden