Minor Changes in Bloomington, MN

The quintet of young players on
Minor Changes
performs an updated version of
hard bop
. The best-known musician is probably Los Angeles-based tenor saxophonist
David Sills
, but all five are talented players. Although six of the seven selections are by trumpeter
Liam Sillery
(all but
Billy Preston
's
"You Are So Beautiful"
), the music is primarily straight-ahead modern mainstream music, with the musicians sounding at their best on
"Terry's Blues,"
the
modal
"Prana"
(which has pianist
Jesse Stacken
sounding a bit like
McCoy Tyner
), and a couple pieces that swing in the tradition of the best 1960s
Blue Note
recordings.
Sillery
, although influenced a little by
Freddie Hubbard
,
Woody Shaw
, and
Wynton Marsalis
, has his own approach and displays lots of potential.
Sills
has an appealing tone and the rhythm section is swinging but never predictable. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow