St Louis Shoes
WithSt. Louis Shoes, the restlessly inventive Greg Osby takes a familiar format--the standards/favorite tunes collection--and brings it to full creative boil. As always with the alto saxophonist, there's a concept unifying the material--in this case his development from a St. Louis phenom into an east coast pro. The album opens with a richly harmonized, progressively modern reading ofDuke Ellington's classic "East St. Louis Toodle-oo" and closes with a melodically compelling overhaul of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues." In between, basking in some of trumpeterNicholas Payton's best playing on record, Osby reflects his roots in the bebop ofBirdandDizandMonkand his emergence as a proponent of Brooklyn's funk-informed M-Base sound, deconstructing "Summertime" to audacious effect. His quintet includes young pianist Harold O'Neal, who in replacing the flagrantly giftedJason Moranreveals terrific potential of his own.--Lloyd Sachs