Tying in with his cameo appearance in Steven Spielberg's film The Terminal, saxophonist
Benny Golson returns with
Terminal 1. Featuring more of his sophisticated and swinging tunes, the album finds
Golson in top form on some of his best compositions in years. Joining him on the front line here are esteemed trumpeter
Eddie Henderson, deft pianist
Mike LeDonne, bassist
Buster Williams, and drummer
Carl Allen. The title track is a mid-'60s-sounding angular piece designed to bring to mind the hustle of airports. Similarly engaging is the gorgeous ballad "Park Avenue Petite," which allows for some burnished melodicism from
Henderson. It is also nice to hear
Golson and company dig into the under-recorded standard "Cherry." Calling to mind the best Blue Note-era recordings,
Terminal 1 is one flight of fancy not to be missed. ~ Matt Collar