The Man With The Horn

Return of the Wildman and Madman:
The first-time release of an early '80s tape featuring the one-man orchestra, pianist Bobby Enriquez, and the madcap prince of the alto, Richie Cole. Some more sober and somber jazz followers will regard four stars overly generous while others will get a bang out of this session. Look at the playlist (yes, that's "Peg of My Heart"). Even though the date opens with Bird's best composition, "Confirmation," this set is an eclectic, slightly over-the-top mix of everything--from Louis and Keely to Liberace, from bebop to bump & grind music. It's all a lot of fun, the perfect therapy for listeners anesthetized by Chris Botti or stretched to the limits of artistic pretentiousness by a CD collection overstocked with "jazz" recordings from ECM and Winter & Winter.