In Our Prime

It is downright pleasurable to listen to a jazz group who obviously enjoys performing with each other. You can hear the results of their close camaraderie in the zestfulness of their playing. Such is the case with this group from Harrisburg, PA, led by pianist Steve Rudolph and saxophonist/clarinetist/flutist Tom Strohman. Joined by Steve Varner on bass and Bill Goodwin on drums, the quartet applies their imagination and technical skills to a mixed musical agenda of originals and more familiar tunes. Right from the opening bop-lined "T. C.'s Tune," the message is delivered to the listener to be prepared for more than an hour of solid mainstream jazz, where melody and intelligent improvisation rule the roost. Strohman is an absolute whiz with any horn he decides to pick. His clarinet work on "Close Enough for Love" proclaims an allegiance to the bop influence of Buddy DeFranco. On the same piece Rudolph uses the entire keyboard for a dazzling display of swinging 88s. Compare this to a seven-plus-minute dramatic reading of one of Antonio Carlos Jobim's rarer pieces, "Luiza," which features Rudolph's cascading runs and Strohman's mellifluous flute. Things get juiced up both rhythmically and electrically on "Festival," where Rudolph switches to synthesizer and Varner to electric bass with Strohman strutting his stuff on soprano sax. Goodwin gets in some meaningful drum breaks on this track. The arrangement of "Old Devil Moon" accents a contrast between the sashaying, jagged playing of piano and drums against the smooth rendering of the sax. This is a prime track of challenging jazz extemporization. This album offers an engaging and varied palette of musical performances by masters of the art of jazz. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan