A member of vocalist Abbey Lincoln's group at the time of this recording, this is pianist Rodney Kendrick's debut as a leader. For this recording he has gathered several musical contemporaries playing in various combinations for a varied program of nine selections, including four written by Kendrick and two written by pianist Randy Weston, the African percussion-driven Ganawa in Paris and a beautiful trio reading of Berkshire Blues. In addition to Weston, Thelonius Monk seems to be Kendrick's other primary influence, as heard in his solos throughout this recording and his playful introduction to Miles Davis' Dig, a medium swinger based on Sweet Georgia Brown that features excellent contributions from alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Garrett and Hargrove also contribute mightily to Kendrick's Slide the World Into Place and Slick Exit, while cornetist Graham Haynes and tenor saxophonist Houston Person show their stuff on Kendrick and Tarus Mateen's The New World Is Ordered and Tyler Mitchell's Takin' It With Me. This is a very promising debut from an up-and-coming pianist. ~ Greg Turner, Rovi

1		Slide the World Into Place
2		Ganawa In Paris
3		The New World Is Ordered
4		Berkshire Blues
5		Dig
6		Sharon
7		Slick Exit
8		Takin It With Me
9		Down Here Below

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