Manhattan Autumn
David Hazeltine's sixth Sharp Nine release finds him in the company of tenor titan Eric Alexander, first-call bassist Peter Washington and drum sensation Joe Farnsworth for a session highlighting the sophisticated harmonic conception and deep sense of swing that has made Hazeltine one of the most admired pianists on the jazz scene. The powerhouse Alexander is given plenty of room to blow on the leader's three crisp originals and his always intriguing arrangements ("Moon River," "Nancy With The Laughing Face" and "The Look of Love"). "Manhattan Autumn," with its fluid precision, top-flight writing and adventurous blowing, reinforces Hazeltine's position as a pianist most worthy of wider recognition.