Many talented jazz musicians are hidden from the jazz audience because they are full-time teachers in various colleges around the country, instead of gigging frequently in large metropolitan centers and making regular visits to the recording studio. Trombonist is hardly new to the scene, as he spent a decade with the , recording and performing with the baritonist and others before becoming director of jazz studies at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. His concept for this CD of new compositions is original, each was inspired by one of a series of 18 professional baseball games that he watched in person over the course of taking a month off from music a few years prior to the record date. Assembling a first-rate band, including veterans like trumpeter and tenor saxophonist , plus a solid rhythm section led by young pianist , with bassist and drummer , 's pieces don't rely on lyrics (as do the several baseball songs by pianist ) but seek to convey his impressions of the game. is named for the walking bridge that takes fans from downtown Pittsburgh to PNC Park, a majestic piece with an appropriate Latin undercurrent that conveys the dignity of the late, great Pirate outfielder. The interplay between and is a highlight of a tribute to the uncontroversial home run king . The hectic post-bop cooker commemorates a fly ball that was missed in an important game, while the session wraps with an extended Latin number that showcases the tightness of the assembled band. This is an ambitious project by and he clearly hits one out of the park with this fine effort. ~ Ken Dryden