British trumpeter
Alex Welsh and his septet play a wide variety of music on this Black Lion LP, ranging from some hot jazz ("Love Is Just Around the Corner") to so-so swing ("Opus One" and "Splanky") and throwaway pop ("By the Time I Get to Phoenix"). The band (which includes trombonist
Roy Williams and Johnny Barnes on reeds) has its moments, but its attempts to adapt to 1970s music are not as worthy as when it simply plays the trad music that it is most comfortable with. ~ Scott Yanow