Brian Lynch has slowly built an impressive discography, proving that he is one of the leading hard bop trumpeters of his generation. His "
Tribute to the Trumpet Masters" includes tunes by
Freddie Hubbard,
Thad Jones,
Lee Morgan, and
Booker Little, plus five originals by
Lynch that pay homage to
Woody Shaw,
Kenny Dorham,
Blue Mitchell,
Charles Tolliver, and
Tom Harrell. With strong backing from a rhythm section that includes pianist
Mulgrew Miller, bassist
Essiet Essiet, and drummer
Carl Allen, the trumpeter solos confidently as he launches lengthy lines with a cracked tone sometimes reminiscent of
Clifford Brown, 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 "Woody Shaw" attractively captures the essence of the late trumpeter. This album is billed as Volume 2 of the Brian Lynch Quartet, although the players (other than
Lynch) are entirely different than on Volume 1. ~ Steven Loewy