Live At Birdland

Holly Hofmann's seventh CD as a leader was recorded during an extended live engagement at Birdland, with frequent collaborators Bill Cunliffe on piano and Victor Lewis on drums, as well as a special guest, bassist Ray Brown. The diverse program includes the bassist's upbeat "Brown Bossa," a lyrical treatment of Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes," creative approaches to Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" and "In a Sentimental Mood" (the latter a superb duet by Hofmann and Brown), and a turbocharged take of Oscar Pettiford's hard bop classic "Bohemia After Dark." Regardless of the song or style, Hofmann never has to resort to the gimmicks that many players of her instrument often resort to; she is a convincing soloist on every track. The intimate sound achieved by engineer Bruce Egre gives the listener the feeling of being in the center of the front row at this modern Manhattan landmark.