Jim Snidero Quintet - Mixed Bag

California-born saxophonist Jim Snidero's sophomore release as leader, 1987's Mixed Bag, is a buoyant, bluesy date featuring former Art Blakey Jazz Messenger, trumpeter Brian Lynch. Backing the future jazz titans is a stellar backing ensemble including pianist Benny Green, bassist Peter Washington, and Wynton Marsalis-associate, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. Ostensibly a blowing session much in the vein of the classic Blue Note albums of the '60s, Mixed Bag is swinging, high-energy album that moves pleasantly from originals to standards. Although still in their youthful ascension at the time of recording, both Snidero and Lynch (as well as all the group members here), reveal their fluid mastery of the straight-ahead, post-bop jazz idiom.

Mixed Bag Review by Matt Collar