Winard Harper - Trap Dancer (1998)

Drummer Winard Harper leads a fine hard bop quintet on Trap Dancer, which consists of five standards and a variety of obscure originals, including one song apiece from Gary Bartz and Jimmy Heath. Trumpeter Patrick Rickman, tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen, and pianist George Cables take consistently worthwhile solos, and although there are a couple brief percussion pieces ("Oamara" and "Allahu Akbar"), Harper does not feature himself all that much except in support of the lead voices. Those two numbers have producer Cecil Brooks III added on drums and Harper, Rickman, and Allen all switching to percussion. Otherwise the music is primarily comprised of concise versions of modern hard bop standards and newer pieces in a similar style. An excellent session.