Well-known bassist Ron Brooks, the proprietor of the prestigious Bird of Paradise, leads. The skilled ensemble features drummer Pete Siers, who plays for the Bird of Paradise Orchestra and fronts both Los Gatos and his own trio, and already well-established pianist Tad Weed. Coherent and strong, playing gathers momentum for a sparkling and lyrical piano excursion. Weed's closing flourishes fold into some warm bass work from Brooks before returning to the top and trading fours with Siers. The strong rhythmic emphasis contradicts the ordinary prettified approach and brings group interplay to the fore.
Lyricism abounds and terrific ideas emerge with clarity.
Clarity is the key to these musical champions on Three B in Flight. Sensitive to each other and the music, they are truly smart but never simply clever. You can feel Fez's music, set in smoke-filled back rooms, poorly lit alleys, and the humid hum of a swamp. The songwriting recalls something older, musty and vaguely forbidden. Squeeze boxes and banjos let me dismiss it too easily on the first few listens.