Although tenor sax/bass/drums trio recordings have been plentiful for decades, a trumpeter plus bass and drums has been an infrequent combination on record. The young Israeli Avishai Cohen is up to the challenge, accompanied by bassist Omer Avital and drummer Nasheet Watts. Cohen's interpretation of Don Cherry's Art Deco is playful and lighthearted, while his expressive muted horn in the slow, slinky take of Duke Ellington's oft-recorded Mood Indigo would have likely made its composer smile. Watts introduces John Coltrane's mystical Wise One alone, with Avital added just prior to the leader's entrance; the lack of piano or other horns doesn't keep Cohen from working his magic during a lengthy exploration of the tenor giant's haunting melody. The one standard is a straight-ahead rendition of Cole Porter's You'd Be so Nice to Come Home To, with Avital's walking bass and Watts' brushwork providing a solid backdrop for Cohen's buoyant, inventive trumpet. Also not to be missed are the trumpeter's originals, especially his funky, street-wise October 25th and his furious opener One Man's Idea. ~ Ken Dryden, Rovi

1		One Man's Idea
2		Ferrara Napoly
3		Art Deco
4		Mood Indigo
5		Wise One
6		Amenu
7		You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
8		October 25th