Luther Hughes and the Cannonball-Coltrane Project: Fast Trak

The cover of this CD shows fireworks going off, and the title is in huge capital letters proclaiming "SPECTACULAR!" Even so, you could easily miss this unheralded indie release -- especially when it had the bad fortune to go on the market at the same time that a big label was launching a Cannonball Adderley tribute CD with an all-star band. No famous jazz all-stars on this CD, but you wouldn't guess it by listening to this track, which swings like crazy. I had never heard of altoist Bruce Babad before -- he teaches at Fullerton College in Orange County -- but I will be on the lookout for him in the future. His solo here is quite impressive. Of course, when the rhythm section is playing at such a high level, everybody sounds good. Okay, not just good . . . spectacular!