Paying homage to the unheralded masters of the jazz trumpet is a natural project for trumpeter and flugelhornist Bryan Lynch, who has been steeped in the hard-bop linage since serving and apprenticeship in the Horace Silver band in the 1980's. He is accompanied by a medium sized unit including Vincent Herring on alto saxophone, Alex Hoffman on tenor saxophone, Rob Schneiderman on piano, David Wong on bass, Pete Van Nostrand on drums and Vicente “Little Johnny" Rivero on congas. Moving through tempos ranging from ballads to burners and Latin jazz, the band cuts a fine swath through the material with solo and ensemble passages dispatched with great facility. The title hints that perhaps there will be more editions in this series and hard-bop fans are sure to hope so. Lynch has a wealth of material to draw upon and a talented band with which to make a lasting impression. Unsung Heroes—amazon.com
