Believe it or not, there is a precedent for this off the wall project -- an ominous one, alas, for classical pianist/conductor sounded stiff playing "jazz piano" for soprano on the album ( ). Here, though, avails himself of some expert help from arranger/conductor , who dresses up some and tunes with a five-piece horn section, two winds, on bass, or on drums, and the maestro himself on mostly custom-written piano arrangements. We're told that improvises a bit, too, though one cannot say where for sure. The results are a lot like those of his friend violinist 's attempt to play jazz with . has enough facility to execute the arrangements with an adequate hint of jazz feeling, and he sounds perfectly comfortable in the ballads. Yet almost nothing in the more swinging arrangements lodges itself in the pocket, so to speak. In the really nifty, swinging treatment of "Squatty Roo," is along mainly for the ride, just feeling out the tune and the rhythm, and "'A' Train" finds him pounding out a series of choppy toccatas. turns in some very straightforward performances as the band's "girl singer" in "Sophisticated Lady" and "Azure," and chesty vocalese on "Chelsea Bridge." turns up on saucy clarinet on "Zweet Zurzday" and "Caravan." You want to say to , "Welcome over to our side," while realizing that he's much better off artistically -- and of course, financially -- on the classical side of the divide. ~ Richard S. Ginell