Nick Brignola - Flight of the Eagle (1996)

This 1996 CD is an excellent all-around showcase for Nick Brignola, one of the top baritonists of the 1990s. Assisted by pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victor Lewis, Brignola digs into four swinging originals, three standards (including "Body and Soul" and "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody"), and Billy Taylor's "Diz." The music ranges from bop to post-bop, with each selection swinging and generating a strong momentum of its own. Recommended. © Scott Yanow