Drummer Wilson has a great ear and ability to put together a quartet that develops such a great groove that it sounds larger than just a quartet. Though he’s the source of only one of the ten tracks, he has chosen some great tunes that often convey a lot of emotional power. Among them are Jobim’s lovely Luiza with its Flugelhorn solo, and Charlie Haden’s haunting Silence, which receives a spectacular solo from organist Goldings. It’s good to hear that this band isn’t afraid of real melody. Jaki Byard’s Aluminum Baby was his response to Basie’s Satin Doll, and if that brings a smile, Wilson’s original Free Range Chicken will probably elicit a laugh. The delightful loping swing of the band’s We’ll Be Together Again is a gas.
Tracks: Sticky Mack, Free Range Chicken, Aluminum Baby, There Comes a Time (vocal), Luiza, Cuban Carnival Song, Silence, We’ll Be Together Again, Fast Edd, There Comes a Time (instru.)
— John Henry
