John Clay: About Time

New York-based drummer John Clay's latest album is appropriately titled About Time. For a drummer, of course, every phrase, every measure, every game plan is in essence about time, and Clay keeps exemplary time on each of the album's 10 numbers, as do the other members of his splendid quintet.

Clay pilots a burnished rhythm section whose building blocks include pianist Enrique Haneine and bassist Sean Conly. Together, they lend staunch support to the ensemble's front-liners, trumpeter Shunzo Ohno and saxophonist Matt Garrison (who plays soprano on Chick Corea's breezy "Humpty Dumpty," tenor on three other tracks), as well as to vocalist Ruby Pucillo who sings and scats on "Alice in Wonderland" and appends a graceful wordless vocal on Alan Pasqua's smooth and well-paved "Highway 14."

The quintet is trimmed to a trio on two of the last three numbers, and Haneine has the stage to himself on the other, the lovely "Prelude to Spring," which leads to Michel Legrand's equally lovely "You Must Believe in Spring" and Pasqua's handsome finale, "My New Friend Old Friend." Wayne Shorter's slightly Latinized "Rio," Billy Drummond's picturesque "Dubai" and Ohno's stylish arrangement of the enchanting standard "Stella by Starlight" complete the program.

Ohno and Garrison are able soloists, as are Haneine and Conly, while Clay seems content for the most part to oversee the album's rhythmic component, soloing only briefly on "Humpty Dumpty." He is superb with sticks or brushes, and as noted, his perception of rhythm and time is flawless. Pucillo, even though heard only briefly, makes favorable impressions on "Alice" and "Highway 14." The album's other ingredients fall neatly into place, raising About Time well above par for the course.