Tribute to the Trumpet Masters

has slowly built an impressive discography, proving that he is one of the leading hard bop trumpeters of his generation. His " " includes tunes by , , and , plus five originals by that pay homage to . With strong backing from a rhythm section that includes pianist , bassist , and drummer , the trumpeter solos confidently as he launches lengthy lines with a cracked tone sometimes reminiscent of , who somehow escaped a tribute. One of the most impressive attributes of his playing is his ability to sustain protracted, fiery solos without repeating himself. While the compositions are hit or miss, his attractively captures the essence of the late trumpeter. This album is billed as of , although the players (other than ) are entirely different than on . ~ Steven Loewy