Although brief at just over 42 minutes long, this is a satisfying effort from pianist
Kenny Barron. His second Enja release documents a quintet consisting of trumpeter
Wallace Roney, tenor saxophonist
John Stubblefield, bassist
Cecil McBee, and drummer
Victor Lewis. The entire quintet is showcased on four
Barron originals, the haunting melody of "Phantoms," the freebop of the title track, the relaxed swing of "Voyage," and the lovely waltz "Lullabye."
Barron performs with
McBee and
Lewis on
McBee's beautiful ballad "Close to You Alone, performs an up-tempo duet with
Lewis on
Charlie Parker's "Dexterity," and goes solo on
Thelonious Monk's "Trinkle Trinkle." Long considered as one of the finest pianists in jazz,
Barron's excellent composing skills are also evident on this worthy addition to his discography. ~ Greg Turner