Jazz for Those Peaceful Moments
There's nothing on this all-ballad compilation to disrupt a peaceful mood, and several tunes that are performed with sufficient grace to enhance it. The great saxophonistSonny Stitt, a master of the serene, sounds equally good on tenor and alto, while there's a sequence of three generations of fine jazz pianists:Red Garland,Donald Brown, andDarrell Grant. The centerpieces of the CD are also the highlights, with tenor saxophonistRicky Fordoffering a perfectly Ducal rendering ofEllington's "I've Got It Bad" and trumpeterWoody Shawdemonstrating a rare talent for extended lyricism on "It Might as Well Be Spring." The CD is a commendable complement to a reflective frame of mind.--Adam Rains