Dwayne Dolphin: Let the Music Play

Bassist Dwayne Dolphin, less than happy with the jazz he was hearing in person or on the radio, set out to simply Let the Music Play on an album whose happy vibe, he hoped, would rekindle "the spirit of jazz" that he remembered growing up with in his native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While "happy" is an intuitive concept that rests in the ears of the beholder, there is no doubt that nearly every theme on Dolphin's latest album swings.

Dolphin accomplishes just that by clothing nearly every number in buoyant and colorful Latin rhythms, generally a safe bet to light a fire under almost any arrangement. Of course, it helps to enlist musicians who are able to implement the plan, and Dolphin was able to find and bring together a like-minded group that had no problem making the blueprint work the way he intended. The ensemble's two-horn front line is impressive, especially its trumpeter, Dr. James Moore, who steals the limelight whenever he displays his remarkable solo chops, delivering statements that are invariably sharp and perceptive.

That is not meant to demean the respectable ad libs of his teammate, alto saxophonist Scott Boni, just to point out that when it comes to improvising, Moore is in a class by himself. Pianist Antonio Croes is another strong soloist, while Dolphin, drummer George Heid III and (on two numbers) steelpan virtuoso Victor Provost ensure that the rhythm is in capable hands.

The playlist is another definite asset, starting with Miles Davis' assertive "Milestones," including Sonny Rollins' breezy calypso, "St. Thomas," and another perennial favorite, Juan Tizol's well-traveled "Caravan." Dolphin wrote the playful "Snooky & Ricky" (complete with group vocal) and lavish finale, "Rated RG," Heid the serpentine "Were They Only Dreams?" to accompany an upbeat and pleasingly Latinized reading of the session's lone standard, the normally sedate "Autumn Leaves." The quintet brings out the best in all of them.

Dolphin and his companions had a specific goal in mind: to produce an album of contemporary jazz wherein an aura of charm and happiness holds sway. Mission accomplished. This is a consistently pleasing session, one that readily affirms a positive endorsement.