David Benoit
had a slight departure with this 1992 release, performing two previously unheard
Bill Evans
compositions (
"Letter to Evan"
and "Knit for Mary F."),
Dave Brubeck's
"Kathy's Waltz" and a mixture of standards and originals. Most of the tunes are played with small groups (duets to quartets) and such fine players as bassist
John Patitucci
, drummer
Peter Erskine
and guitarists
Larry Carlton
and
Peter Sprague
make strong contributions. The melodic and mostly straight-ahead music is pleasing, pretty and sometimes swinging, if not all particularly innovative. Worth checking out by jazz listeners. ~ Scott Yanow