Ralph Peterson
's second session for
Criss Cross
features an identical band to his earlier date for the Dutch label, including pianist
Orrin Evans
, saxophonist
Jimmy Greene
, bassist
Eric Revis
, and the promising young trumpeter and flugelhornist
Jeremy Pelt
.
Peterson
wrote seven originals for the quintet and also added a pair of creative, yet not excessively long drum solos. Like his earlier series of recordings for
Blue Note
,
's charts are full of excitement and a few surprises, stimulating his musicians into playing at their very best; a prime example is the high-energy
"Trial of Trust and Treachery."
The soft unison line produced by
Pelt
and
Greene
(on soprano sax), with the leader's soft mallet technique underneath, is another gem of the date. Only one standard,
"I Only Miss Her When She's Gone,"
is included, but
's arrangement brings out the emotion of its powerful lyrics, even though they aren't heard. This is the type of CD that doesn't grab one's attention upon the first hearing, but whose strengths gradually become obvious with time. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden