Ravita Jazz: Alice Blue

Alice Blue is a pleasant, no-frills session neatly performed by Ravita Jazz, a co-op sextet (or quintet plus vocalist) from Maryland whose presumed overseer is bassist Phil Ravita, as his is the only name that coincides with the name of the group as a whole. Ravita also wrote half of the studio date's ten numbers, all of which are original compositions save for Deirdre Jennings-Holton's vocal rendition of the standard "On the Sunny Side of the Street."

Even though Ravita Jazz has no nominal leader, there is no doubting who the ensemble's leading soloist is. That would be Paul Carr, who plays tenor sax on seven tracks, soprano on three, and solos on every one. He and the quintet are at their best on the last two numbers, Ravita's radiant "Golden Sky," a loose-limbed swinger on which Ravita and pianist Greg Small also have their say, and Small's well-grooved "Signal & Noise," another engaging showpiece for the threesome.

Ravita also penned the brisk opener, "Broken Light," the elegant title song, "Alice Blue," the affable "Almost Blue" and the dreamy "Blackout." Besides "Sunny Side," Jennings sings (quite well) on "From the Start" and "Can't Stand the Rain," even though the lyrics do not linger in the mind for more than a moment or two. Carr's soprano solo on "From the Start" is splendid, as are his other ad libs on soprano or tenor. Small and Ravita are pleasing soloists too, while drummer Nucleo Vega and percussionist Mark Leppo go about their business without fuss or intrusion.

Even though it may not cause many pulses to quicken, Alice Blue is a solid session, one that rests on a smooth plane whose highs and lows are minimal. Simply sharp and well-played contemporary jazz from start to finish.