Dave Nelson & The 32nd Street Quintet
32nd Street
www.davenelsonjazz.com
By George W. Harris

The subtitle of this independently released disc states "Easy Listening Jazz"-don't let that dissuade you from this band that includes Joel Frahm/ts, Jon Davis/p, Joe Fitagerald/b, Marcello Pellitteri/dr and the leader on trumpet and vocals. This is not "easy listening" in the Kenny G sense, but more in the last-set-take-it-easy kind of easy listening. His singing on the standard "We'll Be Together Again" and his own "The Lady Doesn't Lie" is closing time cabaret, while his trumpet has that tentative Kenny Dorham/Blue Mitchell feel. Frahm's tenor is tapioca thick, and uses it superbly on "Have You Met Miss Jones?" and Nelson's "20th Century Blues." The rest of the band flows like a spring stream, with everyone glistening behind Nelson's horn on "My Favorite Things." No complaints about this no frills straightahead release.