The debut album from pianist
Pax Wallace makes use of a number of Seattle jazzers with notable skills, and his own formidable chops on the piano. The numbers here are all originals from
Wallace, and show some fine ability in arrangement and sensitivity in composition. The treat here is in the performance, though.
Wallace moves from choppy, rhythmic, pseudo-
Monk playing in some pieces to light melodic beauty in others. Trumpet playing on the part of Jim Knapp is exceptional, as is
Charles Pillow's sax throughout. Able rhythm section work comes from
Chuck Bergeron and
Bob Moses.
Wallace is a relative unknown on the scene, but this album makes for a fine example of a recording newcomer with skill in performance and composition, and a collection of players representing both coasts coming together for a nice mesh. ~ Adam Greenberg