Incorrigible

Album Review

In spite of being a collective that features a number of musicians who frequently work individually as bandleaders, One for All have been a remarkably stable group. With egos checked at the studio door and a front line of trumpeter/flügelhornist Jim Rotondi, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, and trombonist Steve Davis, plus pianist David Hazeltine, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth, they automatically gel when they have the opportunity to play together. The one standard is the opener, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," played with a rare driving energy that takes it far from its original ballad setting into sizzling post-bop territory. Rotondi composed the somber "Voice" in memory of Freddie Hubbard, featuring his rich flügelhorn in a subdued ballad salute to the late trumpeter. Hazeltine's "Blues for Jose" has a light Latin undercurrent, highlighted by rich ensembles and bluesy solos all around. Davis' "So Soon" is a peppy vehicle that would have been perfect for the heyday of hard bop, though it is no museum piece by any means. Alexander's "Incorrigible" is a demanding work with a constantly shifting theme that energizes the band. The musicians of One for All truly represent the spirit of their band name when they get together to play.