A fine album by this trumpeter better known for film scores and
Windham Hill
new age electronics than for jazz. However, on this outing,
Mark Isham
struts his jazz stuff. Although the instrumentation includes electric bass, occasional electric piano, and a sprinkling of atmospheric electronics, the feel here is of an acoustic recording of the cool jazz school.
Isham
's quintet includes
Steve Tavaglione
on tenor saxophone and
David Goldblatt
on piano, both of whom inform this music with elegance and grace.
himself has never sounded better on record, recalling the
Miles Davis
of the '50s at times, and the rhythm section of drummer
Kurt Wortman
and bassist
Doug Lunn
keeps the music moving at a relaxed pace.
's work in his
days was, while interesting, easily identifiable and properly classified in the new age bin. Here, he has moved in a new, classy direction, proving he can write and perform well-crafted music of substance. ~ Jim Newsom