by Scott Yanow
Trombonist Fred Wesley, best-known for his long-term association with James Brown, has long expressed the desire to play jazz. This is mostly a jazz-oriented CD although he hedges his bets a little with &Honey Love& (which has a cute vocal by Wesley over a calypso groove), an R&B-ish Carmen Lundy vocal on &Love We Had Stays On My Mind,& the ballad &Eyes So Beautiful& and the funky &D-Cup And Up.& But on the other six numbers Wesley plays in a boppish style influenced most by J.J. Johnson and there is a suitable amount of solo space for altoist Maceo Parker (heard at his best when trying to emulate Hank Crawford), trumpeter Stanton Davis and a restrained but tasteful Geri Allen on piano. Highlights include &Rockin' In Rhythm,& Thelonious Monk's &Bright Mississippi& and &Birks Works& on the mixed but generally enjoyable bag.