After a quarter-century as drummer to Shirley Horn,
Steve Williams emerges as a leader with a potent modern-bop quintet and
some hefty star powerfrom guest soloists Roy Hargrove, Gary Bartz and
the late John Hicks. But it's the core band that makes waves. Williams
provides expert leadership and driving grooves abetted by rhythmic twists
from pianist Olivier Hutman. Meanwhile, trumpeter Donvonte McCoy and tenor
saxophonist Antoine Roney spin buoyant lines that feed gracefully into
each other and bassist Michael Bowie greases the wheels for fluid motion
in this burning debut.
Jazz Times, Friday, May, 2007
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