Dave Samuels' release offers music that is often more pleasant than it is challenging, but
Samuels has an original voice on the marimbas and vibes, the groove tunes are generally quite enjoyable (particularly the calypso "Cara Linda" and the tricky "Knots"), and the leader's solos are uniformly strong. With the help of
the Yellowjackets' rhythm section (keyboardist
Russell Ferrante, electric bassist
Jimmy Haslip and drummer
William Kennedy) and some guests, this pop/jazz effort is reasonably satisfying and one of
Dave Samuels' best solo sets.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi