Keep Steppin

Alto saxophonist Mike Dirubbo is firmly in neo-bop mode on his Criss Cross debut, which also features trumpeter Jim Rotondi, pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The quintet opens with LeDonne's "Encounter," a fast workout over "Love for Sale" changes. They carry on with a pair of Dirubbo originals — first the gentle three/four bossa "Introspection," then the title track, a Lee Morgan-esque blues also in three. Pulling out all the stops, they launch into an insanely fast "End of a Love Affair." Each solo is more dazzling than the previous one; the take climaxes with LeDonne's brilliant foray (listen carefully for his ingenious reference to Victor Feldman's "Joshua"). A sensitive quartet rendition (sans trumpet) of McCoy Tyner's "Sunset" gives Dirubbo a chance to showcase his unusually rich alto sound. Winding down, the group evokes early-'70s Freddie Hubbard with "Around the Way" (co-written by the leader and Rotondi), swings a bit slower on the angular "Mike's Move," clears the way for an alto/drums duet on "Solar," and signs off with a ten-minute-plus take of Sam Jones' blues "Bittersuite." Dirubbo and company win no awards for innovation, but there are few people who can play this kind of music this well. A real pleasure. ~ David R. Adler, Rovi