Outside In; Dan Cray, piano
Chicago born but New York based pianist Dan Cray brings us a very straight ahead quartet, consisting of Dayna Stephens, tenor sax, Clark Sommers, bass and Mark Ferber, drums. Cray presents a program of seven selections in all---four originals and three very well chosen jazz staples. Most of his original work is at least introspective and at most delicate. His ideas on piano are substantial, his chord work is finely hewn, and his communication with tenor man Stephens is impressive and expressive. Two of the three standards here are also ballads, Billy Strayhorn's gorgeous "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", and something of a surprise in an old Sinatra hit, "Where Are You". The third of these is Bud Powell's bouncy but rarely heard "Oblivion". This CD emphasizes the pretty side of things and there's always room for pretty.
Origin Records; 2016; appx. 43 min.
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