For
One for All, a top-notch all-star hard bop sextet,
The Lineup is their 11th album. Returning to their original label, Sharp Nine, the group's basic sound is unchanged from when it was formed in 1997, being very much in the style of
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers without sounding overly derivative. Four of the group's musicians contributed seven of the eight selections to this program, all but the standard "Sweet and Lovely." Alternating medium-tempo romps with ballads, each performance features high-quality solos, clean ensembles, and hard swinging. This is no-nonsense modern straight-ahead jazz played by some of the top interpreters of the idiom, and is easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow