by Greg Turner
Although brief at just over 42 minutes long, this is a satisfying effort from pianist Kenny Barron. His second Enja release s a quintet consisting of trumpeter Wallace Roney, tenor saxophonist John Stubblefield, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Victor Lewis. The entire quintet is showcased on four Barron originals, the haunting melody of &Phantoms,& the freebop of the title track, the relaxed swing of &Voyage,& and the lovely waltz &Lullabye.& Barron performs with McBee and Lewis on McBee's beautiful ballad &Close to You Alone, performs an up-tempo duet with Lewis on Charlie Parker's &Dexterity,& and goes solo on Thelonious Monk's &Trinkle Trinkle.& Long considered as one of the finest pianists in jazz, Barron's excellent composing skills are also evident on this worthy addition to his discography.