By: George W. Harris, JazzWeekly
Vanessa Rubin brings out a masterful tribute to overlooked bebop pioneer Tadd Dameron, letting his material be arranged by sax masters Frank Foster, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath and Bobby Watson. The rhythm team of John Cowherd/p, Kenny Davis/b and Carl Allen/dr is flexible enough to give a vaudevillian beat to the fun “Kitchenette Across The Hall” or float like a cirrus cloud for Rubin’s rich and honey’d voice for “Reveries Do Come True.” The horn section of Eddie Allen/tp, Patience Higgins/ts, Bruce Williams/as, Clifton Anderson/tb and Alex Harding/bs creates rich textures for the warm and hip “Lady Bird” and weave well with Rubin on the post bop of “I Think I’ll Go Away.” Rubin gets brash during “On A Misty Night” and hip as all get out for “Good Bait.” This is a delight!