Russian expatriate has been an impressive trumpeter from the time he arrived in the U.S. after fleeing his homeland. This 2005 session pairs him with several younger musicians, including seasoned tenor saxophonist , bassist , and Juilliard student , who the leader compares favorably with veteran drummers. With stuck in traffic, improvised a to warm up with the others and ended up with the peppy opener The trumpeter makes use of the full range of his instrument in his expressive solo, also trading licks with . The blend of trumpet and tenor sax in 's slinky gives the piece a bit of an eerie flavor. His arrangement of has more of a mournful air than the typical bittersweet setting of this landmark composition. 's proves very accessible and features some great interplay and a bit of arco bass by . -tinged a barely disguised reworking of is a harmonically rich extended performance. The lack of a pianist is never a problem, as the musicians filled in the missing chords in their heads as they played their hearts out throughout this rewarding studio date. ~ Ken Dryden