by Steven Loewy
By 1983, the quartet was at a musical peak, and this may be their best recording. Everything gels: The choice of tunes, the solos, and the arrangements all come together to produce one of the leading post-bop albums of the 1980s. Adams and Pullen perform magnificently and soulfully on &Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen,& while the other three originals by pianist Don Pullen and two by Adams include a lengthy tribute to Charles Mingus and a shorter one for Thelonious Monk. Thankfully, there are no vocals by Adams. When these fellows get it right, as they do here, there is a synergy and energy that just can't be beat. Adams soars on tenor, building to a frenzied crescendo without losing control, while Pullen is right at his side. Drummer Dannie Richmond and bassist Cameron Brown seem inspired by the date.