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Quite a compelling project from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a record that has him working strongly with singer/guitarist Aoife O'Donovan, whose presence really helps transform the sound of the set! Aoife's got a folksy touch on her vocals, and colors things in with some great earthy tones that are a surprisingly good fit for Douglas' lines on trumpet – sometimes jazzy, sometimes sparkling with a rich sense of American history – yet delivered in a subtle, linear way. The blend works a lot better than it sounds on paper – thanks to help from other musicians who include Jon Irabagon on tenor, Matt Mitchell on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. Titles include "Barbara Allen", "Living Streams", "Be Still My Soul", "High On A Mountain", "God Be With You", and "This Is My Father's World".

One of the best albums we've heard in years from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a really in the pocket session that's filled with rhythmic intensity, and some of the boldest music we've heard from Dave in years! There's plenty of edges to the set – especially the trumpet of Douglas and tenor of Jon Irabgon – but there's also a groove to many numbers too – a kind of forward-rolling energy that really takes the whole thing to great points throughout the set, and which makes a great progression from the somber tone of Dave's last album – almost a musical rebirth of sorts! Crack rhythms flow from the trio of Matt Mitchell on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – and titles include "Time Travel", "Beware Of Doug", "Little Feet", "Garden State", and "Bridge To Nowhere".

Quite a compelling project from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a record that has him working strongly with singer/guitarist Aoife O'Donovan, whose presence really helps transform the sound of the set! Aoife's got a folksy touch on her vocals, and colors things in with some great earthy tones that are a surprisingly good fit for Douglas' lines on trumpet – sometimes jazzy, sometimes sparkling with a rich sense of American history – yet delivered in a subtle, linear way. The blend works a lot better than it sounds on paper – thanks to help from other musicians who include Jon Irabagon on tenor, Matt Mitchell on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. Titles include "Barbara Allen", "Living Streams", "Be Still My Soul", "High On A Mountain", "God Be With You", and "This Is My Father's World".

A pair of great albums from Dave Douglas – laid out here in a single package! Magic Triangle is a killer set from the Dave Douglas Quartet – a very unified sound from the lineup that features Douglas on trumpet, Chris Potter on tenor, James Genus on bass, and Ben Perowsky on drums! Working here without any piano, the four have a way of folding into a groove together beautifully – really layering their sound, and coming up with something wonderful – as full of tone and texture as Douglas' more laidback recordings, but handled with a rhythmic pulse that really sends the whole thing soaring! Titles include "Everyman", "Magic Triangle", "Padded Cell", "Circular", "Coaster", "Barrage", "The Ghost", and "Kisangi". Leap Of Faith is filled with bold lines from this great late 90s group – handled in a way that's both rhythmic, yet freed from its obvious constraints – with energy that almost takes us back to Ornette Coleman at the start of the 60s! The quartet features some wonderful interplay between trumpeter Dave Douglas and tenorist Chris Potter – but gets almost as much punch on the top end from bassist James Genus and drummer Ben Perowsky – each of whom burst forth brilliantly throughout. Titles include "Emmenthaler", "Millenium Bug", "Another Country", "Leap Of Faith", "Caterwaul", and "Euro Disney".

Raucous drag strip rockers and driving R&B-fueled instrumentals by The T-Bones – killer material on Liberty from a group of young session wizards – including Hal Blaine, Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Dave Pell, Steve Douglas and others! It's wildly fun stuff that goes all in with the drag strip novelty – but totally transcends it – with some rubber-burning, rumbling excellence! Killer guitars, sax, organ drums from a one-time relatively anonymous cast of players. Includes "Hey Little Cobra", "Shut Down", "Drag City", "Draggin'", "Scorchin", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Boss Drag" and more.