Sweet Science
On his fourth CD as a leader, organist Larry Goldings veers away from the groove influence ofJimmy Smithtoward the avant-fusion wizardry ofLarry Young. Backed by guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Bill Stewart, Goldings and his crew deliver challenging improvisations and create intriguing harmonic and melodic textures on new material, from the futuristic title track and the ethereal "Chorale," to their inventive take onBurt Bacharach's timeless tune, "This Guy's in Love with You." The CD's title conjures up images of boxing, and Goldings and his "corner" score a technical knockout with their musical telepathy and their special kind of swing.--Eugene Holley Jr.