After 12 years in Philly, tenor saxophonist Tom Tallitsch can meet the demands for what a tenor should sound like.
This is no small thing. The Cleveland native, who was schooled at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, is a regular on a club scene here, where the tenor standards are high. Tallitsch doesn't hammer you with technique; instead, he finds the magisterial in an unhurried way.
Tallitsch plays a big tenor, not by blowing particularly fast, but by laying out good ideas in winning combinations.
His quiet quintet is softened by vibraphonist Tony Miceli, whose frequent gigs on Sundays at the Philadelphia Museum of Art's champagne brunch offer some sophisticated respite. Others piloting this tasteful quintet are drummer Dan Monaghan, bassist Paul Gehman, and guitarist Victor Baker.