Pianist
Martin Sasse is a talented bop-based player and his trio with bassist Henning Gailing and drummer Hendrik Smock is excellent. However, on this set their guest, guitarist
Peter Bernstein, consistently steals the show.
Bernstein's solos on the straight-ahead material are fiery and inventive, and swing hard.
Sasse contributed six of the nine numbers, several of which are based on common chord changes, including "The Modal Thing No. 2" (which is essentially "Impressions"). A medium-tempo version of "Body & Soul" is one of the many highlights on this fine modern hard bop date. ~ Scott Yanow