Tenor man Mike Allen makes his own very personal and creative musical statements on this quite remarkable recording. Performed before a live audience at the Vancouver international Jazz Festival, Allen is joined by veteran all stars John Lee, bass and Carl Allen, drums. Notice: no piano. And that very fact raises the directness and intimacy level of this stirring trio. I am reminded a little of the tenor work of Warne Marsh who sometimes worked without a piano and dug deeply into the heart of every song he played. Mike Allen's intense but accessible improvisation is the driving factor. Never excessive but always exploratory and a joy to hear, Allen, Lee, and Allen find every fascinating nook and cranny on standards "Invitation", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Stars Fell On Alabama", and "Isfahan". Especially disarming and imaginative standards complete what I think of as a real deal jazz album.Cellar Records; 2023; appx. 68 min.
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