Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill

Jazz bassist, educator and leader Rodney Whitaker has worked with guys like Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Diana Krall and a long list of other stars. On Common Ground he has put together an eight-song program of tunes by composer and pianist Gregg Hill, a favorite of his. Among Whitaker's collaborators here are hard bop trumpet kingpin Terrell Stafford and Whitaker's daughter, vocalist Rockelle Fortin. As the cover photo shows, it's a labor of love—several of the songs have an earnest whiff of social and political idealism. Everyone gets to shine, notably Stafford and his frequent collaborator, pianist Bruce Barth.