I Believe In You

Rick's Pick Jazz combos without chordal instruments are usually a tough sell for me, but since Jeff Campbell has long been one of my favorite bass players I decided to give this one a spin - and I'm very glad I did. The group consists of Campbell, saxophonist/clarinetist/flutist Charles Pillow, and drummer Rich Thompson, and on this album they play nothing but standards, showing their range by tackling American Songbook ballads and gnarly bop classics (notably Thelonious Monk's notoriously difficult "Trinkle, Tinkle") alike, all in arrangements that show both deep musical maturity and a wilingness to take risks. This is a brilliant album that should find a home in every library's jazz collection.