Reflections

Any jazzman who sees fit to record "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" is clearly of a romantic persuasion. But this track, though a nice trio feature, is less arresting than Chicago tenor saxophonist Mark Colby's own "Reflections." The title track alludes to David Raksin's "Laura," and elsewhere there are sprinklings culled from jazzlore of yore. "Myth Mary's Blues" suggests a conflation of Sonny Rollins' "Tenor Madness" and "Blue Seven," and "Caroline's Romp" has flavors from Joe Henderson's "Recorda-Me." Then there is Colby's unabashed tribute to Stan Getz, "Desafinado," a brave, or foolish, choice akin to exhuming "Take Five," which the core group boosted by guitarist Mike Pinto give a springy retread, the shadow of Henderson beating out Getz during Colby's outro.

An unexpected inclusion, Ornette Coleman's "Blues Connotation" gives notice that Colby can be more than the consummate craftsman; listen to his fearless final notes.

The leader has fine support here. Jeremy Kahn kicks the CD off with a Bill Evans-like intro to "Close Enough For Love," and his piano architecture is poised and reliable throughout. Colby's larger ensemble experience is marked with a closing sextet cut with Phil Woods and Bob Lark, and props should go to Steve Weeder for a nice mixing job. No question Colby puts it all together with ears, technique, tone (nice vibrato) and timing, but the emotional pool he enters at the beginning of "Reflections" and Cole Porter's "So In Love" hint at deeper reserves of feeling.