Since Laserlight is a budget CD label, it is easy not to take its releases overly seriously, particularly since its personnel listings and dates are often wrong. In the case of this CD, however, the music is excellent, and the listing of musicians (
Benny Golson on tenor, pianist
Mulgrew Miller, bassist
Rufus Reid and drummer
Tony Reedus) is accurate, although the dates are not given and there are several errors with the listing of composers for the songs.
Golson is heard throughout in top form, stretching himself on
Freddie Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring" (listed as an original called "Up, Jump, Spring!"),
Kenny Barron's "Voyage" and his own "Stable Mates." On the latter,
Golson plays an effective and intense duet with drummer Reedus. 61 at the time,
Benny Golson is heard here at the peak of his powers. ~ Scott Yanow