Live at Birdland: Cookin' at Midtown (1999)

About this title: Featuring a nice slice of New York's modern jazz crowd, this ten-cut compilation showcases two songs apiece from pianist D.D. Jackson's quintet, trumpeter Dave Douglas' quartet, timbales player Ralph Irizarry and Timbalaye, the Jimmy Greene/Darren Barrett quintet, and guitarist Peter Bernstein's non-organ quartet. Jackson leads off the record in a spiritual mood on "Easy," and follows up with the hot bopper "For Monk's Sake," which features the heart-tugging violin of Christan Howes, the shining star of this entire showcase. The Douglas quartet offers a bluesy "Driftwood" and the slow, dour ... read more

Tracks:

1. Easy [Jackson]
2. Driftwood [Douglas]
3. Rampa Arriba (Up Ramp) [Lopez]
4. Jet Stream [Bernstein]
5. Half-Steps [Barrett]
6. The Frisell Dream [Douglas]
7. For Monk's Sake [Jackson]
8. piesotes [Giant Feet] [Franceschini]
9. Re-Affirmation [Greene]
10. Booker's Little Blues [Bernstein]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.