Jazz Family

On Jazz Family, the elegant Heath Brothers continue to exudes sublime group empathy and musicianship that's both exuberant and nonchalant. Drummer Albert Heath and bassist Percy Heath drive these mostly mid-tempo compositions with effortless swing and rhythmic ingenuity, while saxophonist Jimmy Heath soars in passionate reverie with his smokey tone. Complemented with a brass ensemble that includes such heavyweights as tuba maestro Bob Stewart, french hornist John Clark, and trumpeters Tom Williams and Earl Gardner, these plush arrangements and rich tonal palettes sometimes reminiscence the harmonic innovations of Duke Ellington, especially on originals like "13th House" and the beautiful waltz, "None Shall Wander." But the brothers don't forgo the improvisational gusto of bebop, as evident on the Coltrane-esque "A Harmonic Future." With Jazz Family, the Heath Brothers have delivered one of the most sensuous family reunions of the year. --John Murph