Vic Juris, a veteran cool-toned guitarist with a harmonically advanced style, swings his way through a variety of straight-ahead and introspective material with his trio/quartet. Bassist
Jay Anderson and drummer
Tim Horner are both subtle in their support and interplay with the guitarist.
David Liebman, on tenor and soprano, is a welcome guest on some of the selections, but the main focus is on
Juris. "A Second Look," one of five
Juris originals, is catchy, while "Barney K." is an effective tribute to the late
Barney Kessel. Among the other more memorable selections are a swinging rendition of "So in Love," an odd reharmonized ballad version of "All the Things You Are," a rare revival of
Keith Jarrett's "Shades of Jazz," and his bossa nova "Little Brian."
Juris' dry tone and subtle creativity are easy to take for granted at first but they grow in appeal with each listen. ~ Scott Yanow