Tim Hagans: Alone Together

Despite the title of trumpeter Tim Hagans' Alone Together, from the Schwartz/Dietz love song, neither the titular tune—nor the majority of the album—is anything but a cooker. Hagans, who has received a lot of exposure by the Pirouet label in 2008, leads this beautifully rendered series of three standards and four originals from pianist Marc Copland—was has also been featured on several albums for Pirouet label of late.

Hagans has been in a growth mode since his debut with the Stan Kenton Orchestra in the mid-1970s, his prolific bebop sessions on Blue Note Records and his experimental period with Bob Belden expanding upon a drum 'n' bass theme during the mid-1990s. The first four tunes are all from the pen of Copland and Hagans bursts out of the gate, sounding remarkably like early-1960s Miles Davis. The up-tempo "See You Again" leaves no surprises, with a fiery Hagans delivering a bell-like solo squarely in the Davis mode. Copland follows with a nifty solo, leading into Jochen Ruckert's snap, crackle and pop at the drum set. In fact, the rhythm section has been Copland's group over the past few years.

The album closer, Victor Young's classic, "Stella by Starlight," shows off Hagan's take on Miles circa his late-1950s period, with a muted trumpet version of this tune. When Hagan begins the Raye/Paul standard, "You Don't Know What Love Is," it is very tentative—just a duet with Hagans and Copland. Going into solo mode, Hagans increases his power and is joined by Gress and Rockert, concluding the song triumphantly.