To Haas' credit, he gives fellow trumpeter Cisco Dimas, a classy improviser, abundant room to blow, featuring Dimas alone (on flugel) on "Smile." Haas frames persuasive statements on "For Her," "Pure Imagination" (flugel) and "Life Changes," while Dimas answers emphatically on "Foster," "Shining Hour" and "Self-Deception," the last two on flugel. Pardo, alto / soprano David Palma, baritone Jason Kush, trombonist Chad Bernstein and pianist Doug Bickel keep pace nicely, fanning the flames whenever the opportunity arises, while Bickel, Socrates and bassist Joe Rehmer maintain an unflagging rhythmic pulse.

South Nine's debut album, The Llama, was quite good; double entendre aside, Augie Style is even better. The group clearly has hit its stride, and it will be intriguing to see what ensues.

Tracks and Personnel

Detroit

Tracks: Blues on Belle Isle; Cass Tech; Detroit; Miss Gretchen; Before Motown; The Detroit River; Everywhere; Aram.

Personnel: Gerald Wilson: composer, arranger, conductor. Los Angeles Band—Ron Barrows, Bobby Rodriguez, Jeff Kaye, Rick Baptist, Winston Byrd: trumpet; Jackie Kelso: alto, soprano sax; Randall Willis: alto sax, flute; Carl Randall, Kamasi Washington: tenor sax; Terry Landry: baritone sax; Eric Jorgensen, Les Benedict, Mike Wimberly, Shaunte Palmer: trombone; Yvette Devereaux: violin; Brian O'Rourke: piano; Trey Henry: bass; Mel Lee: drums. Guest artists —Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Anthony Wilson: guitar. New York Band—Jon Faddis, Frank Greene, Sean Jones, Jimmy Owens, Terell Stafford: trumpet, flugelhorn; Steve Wilson, Antonio Hart: alto, soprano sax, flute; Ron Blake, Kamasi Washington: tenor sax; Ronnie Cuber: baritone sax; Dennis Wilson, Luis Bonilla, Jay Ashby: trombone; Douglas Purviance: bass trombone; Renee Rosnes: piano; Peter Washington, Todd Coolman: bass; Lewis Nash: drums. Guest artist—Hubert Laws: flute.

Where There's Smoke

Tracks: 'Deed I Do; My Foolish Heart; Popsicle Toes; Mr. Paganini; St. Thomas; You Go to My Head; Joshua; In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning; Too Close for Comfort; Blue in Green; Spain; The Midnight Sun; This Could Be the Start of Something Big.

Personnel: Galen Jeter, Terry Hager, Byron Parks, Ken Edwards, Eric Wells: trumpet; Mark Lara, Fred Sampson: alto sax; Stu Melis, John Gordon: tenor sax; Allen Beutler: baritone sax; David Bowman, Curtis Fox, Art Ruangton, Michael Lawson, Jason Hausback: trombone; Richard Powell: piano; Kim Platko: guitar; Jeremy Hull: bass; Gene Glover: drums; Kenny "King" Nickerson: congas; Rusty Wells: percussion; Drenda Barnett: vocals.

Avenue 'C' Jazz

Tracks: Cottontail; Bebop Charlie; Water Wings; Just Friends; Secular Breathing; For Her; Life Line; Bluelonious; Pleading Diminished Capacity; Easy to Love.

Personnel: James Riggs: director. Spring 2004 Two O'Clock Lab Band—Walter Simonsen, Dave Richards, Tony Marvelli, Mike Maher, Jay Jennings: trumpet; Ben Burget, Brian Donohoe, Corey Wilson, Isaac Lamar, Jesse Clonninger: reeds; Adam Jensen, Mike St. Clair, Sara Jacovino, Dominic Marino, Chris Kozen: trombone; Matt Lawless: piano; Tom Kessler: guitar; Danny Stone: bass; Pete Wehner: drums. Spring 2005 Two O'Clock Lab Band—Randel Bobin, Matthew Timm, Justin Tischler, Chris Borin, Drew Malloy: trumpet; Idit Shner, Andrew Pangilinan, Murray James Morrison, Carlos Espinosa, Darren Peterson: reeds; Sara Jacovino, Nick Wlodarczyk, Aric Schneller, Mark Breckenridge, Ben Polk: trombone; Josh Hanlon: piano; Chris McQueen: guitar; Matt Blaize: bass; Pete Wehner: drums. Spring 2006 Two O'Clock Lab Band—Sean Foley, Lee Koetz, Matt Timm, Thomas Eby, Justin Stanton: trumpet; John Leadbetter, Brian Girley, Isaac Lamar, Carlos Espinosa, Kazuki Nagoshima: reeds; Dave Richards, Nick Wlodarczyk, Aric Schneller, Jason Oliver, Jason Hausback: trombone; Ryota Ishikawa: piano; Lindsey Miller: guitar; Joe Johnson: bass; Michael D'Angelo: drums.

Grains

Tracks: Grains (1, 2, 3); Pisagua; Shorters Quarters; Du Ska Tacka; Var Ar Du Nu?; Elements (Fire / Water / Wind / Earth).

Personnel: Tim Hagans: leader, conductor, trumpet soloist (1, 7, 8); Ann-Sofi Soderqvist: composer, arranger, flugelhorn (6); Bo Strandberg, Dan Johansson, Magnus Eckholm, Tapio Maunuvaara: trumpet, flugelhorn; Hakan Brostrom: alto, soprano sax, flute; Johan Horlen: alto sax, bass clarinet; Mats Garberg: tenor sax, flute, piccolo flute; Karl-Martin Almqvist: tenor sax, clarinet; Per Moberg: baritone sax, flute; P-O Svanstrom, Magnus Puls, Peter Dahlgren: trombone; Bjorn Hangsel: bass trombone, tuba; Johan Zakrisson: piano; Mattias Welin: bass; Jonas Holgersson: drums; Lena Swanberg: vocals.

Jimmy Simmons & Friends

Tracks: Let the Good Times Roll; Just Friends; Too Close for Comfort; Groovin' Hard; The Lady Is a Tramp; How High the Moon; A Warm Breeze; Soul with a Capital 'S'; Take the 'A' Train; Moonlight in Vermont; Deedle's Blues; Stitched Up; I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter; Sing, Sing, Sing; Proud Mary.

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