Russell Malone's debut as a leader is a charming effort that ranges from swing to numbers in which
Malone shows off his
Wes Montgomery influence.
Malone is not only heard with a fairly modern quartet comprised of pianist
Donald Brown, bassist
Robert Hurst III and drummer
Yoron Israel, but also in a trio with the great veteran bassist
Milt Hinton and drummer
Shannon Powell (
Malone and
Hinton take "St. Louis Blues" as a duet). There are also two duets with pianist
Harry Connick, Jr., including a surprising (and effective) vocal by
Malone on "I Don't Know Enough About You." A very enjoyable effort with several other surprises along the way. ~ Scott Yanow