I recorded this in 2003, with a quartet which had been working together for a number of years:  myself with Laura "Lolly" Allen on vibes, Greg Holt on Bass, and Gary Fieldman on drums.  Since the instrumentation was the same as the classic group "The Modern Jazz Quartet," I was calling the group "The Postmodern Jazz Quartet."  This recording session includes a couple of tunes by the great Earl "Bud" Powell (Buster Rides Again and Down With It), a couple by the incomparable Thelonious Monk (Stuffy Turkey and Teo), and the rest are originals of mine.

Just a fun jam tune, with Gary setting up a great N'Orleans 2nd-line groove

On "Follow the Leader" the melody running in counterpoint to the bass (doubling the pianist's left hand) is a bit like some of Geri Allens recordings

I wrote this on a steaming hot day, watching the waves of heat flowing up out on my back porch.  I think the shimmer of the vibes really captures the image well.

I first transcribed this Monk tune back in the days of vinyl and turntables.  Wasn't until years later that I got the CD and found out that my turntable was off, and it was supposed to be up a 1/2 step in D-flat, not in C.  Oh well!

Shakespeare...try reading the sonnett while listening, and see if you can hear where I tried to capture the shifting moods of the poem

Gary's intro is a masterpiece here - then listen to how he sets up the melody by playing it before the rest of us come in.  Our take on this lesser-known Monk tune (named for the producer Teo Macero) is very free, with all four instrumentalists soloing at once.

I wrote this one way back in college.  Reminds me of sailing around in a friend's 2-person sailboat off the shore of Fire Island, NY

This boppin' Bud Powell tune is a great opportunity for some high-energy improvising

Miles Davis fans will pick up on the reference to the tune Eighty-One, from the album ESP.