Neal Smith Quintet - Live At Smalls (2010)

Drummer Neal Smith has a hell of a group here - Eric Alexander on tenor, Steve Wilson on alto, Mark Whitfield on guitar, and Mulgrew Miller on piano - a lineup that he more than lives up to with his tight leadership, and great choice of material for the date! The tunes include two numbers by Tom McIntosh - a telling inclusion, given the way the album brings together the same strands of soul, swinging, and cerebral that McIntosh brought to his compositions in the early 60s. Smith's got a great way of bringing out the most sensitive aspects of the tunes, while still setting the players free to find their own voice - thanks partly to the long takes on these live recordings - and titles include "Fifty Six", "Stew Peas", "A Portrait Of You", "With Malice Towards None", "The Cup Bearers", and "Junior". ~ Dusty Groove, Inc. 

SmallsLIVE Records, SL-0007, 2010
Recorded 23rd & 24th August, 2009 Live At Smalls Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, NYC 

Musicians:
Neal Smith - Drums
Steve Wilson - Alto & Soprano Sax
Eric Alexander - Tenor Saxophone
Mulgrew Miller - Piano
Mark Whitfield - Guitar
Dezron Douglas - Bass

Tracks:
1. The Cup Bearers {Tom McIntosh} (14:04)
2. Junior {John Farnsworth} (8:20)
3. What A Friend We Have In Jesus {Charles C, Converse} (14:58)
4. With Malice Towards None {Tom McIntosh} (12:16)
5. A Portrait Of You {Donald Walden} (14:02)
6. Stew Peas {Dezron Douglas} (8:19)
7. Fifty-Six {Johnny Griffin} (7:55) 

Total Time: 79:58 

Credits:
Producer - Spike Wilner
Engineer - Glen Forrest
Mastering - Gene Paul, Jamie Polaski
Mixing - Ben Rubin
Cover Design, Photography - Michelle Watt 

Concert Online [AudioOnly]