Ted Nash returns to modern mainstream jazz on this mostly straight-ahead quintet set,
In the Loop.
Nash's originals include brooding ballads à la
Wayne Shorter, hints of New Orleans parade rhythms, some hard bop and freer playing, none of it sounding particularly derivative.
Nash and the enthusiastic
Marcus Printup make for a colorful front line, with
Frank Kimbrough,
Ben Allison, and
Matt Wilson being a solid and flexible rhythm section. The diverse compositions and consistently strong playing make this a set well-worth exploring.