Bill Cunliffe, Jim Hershman & Jeff Hamilton - Partners in Crime (2005)

Partners in Crime is a partnership between three leaders: guitarist Jim Hershman, keyboardist Bill Cunliffe, and drummer Jeff Hamilton. It becomes quickly apparent that the three musicians have no need to show off, but instead finesse the listener's attention in a subtle manner. Hershman's funky title track opens the CD with a swagger, while his "Don's Kitchen" is a fluid bop vehicle. Cunliffe, best known for his work as a pianist, is an equally talented organist. Highlights of his include the complex Latin-flavored "Better Late Than Never" and the lyrical setting of the slowly savored "I-75 Bossa Nova," the latter of which suggests an early Sunday morning drive on an isolated stretch of this East Coast interstate. The trio's interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's infrequently performed "Drawing Room Blues" is spacious, elegant, and understated, especially due to Hamilton's percussion, while they also hold back a bit in their arrangement of Kenny Dorham's well-known "Una Mas." This enjoyable session definitely merits a follow-up recording. © Ken Dryden