John Swana

Personnel: John Swana (tp, flhn), Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart (ts); David Hazeltine (p), Peter Washington (b) & Kenny Washington (d).

Tracks: 1. Wilbert, 2. Chillin’ Out, 3. Road Trippin’, 4. Ferris Wheel, 5. Shrack’s Corner II, 6. Bright Moments, 7. Inevitable Encounter, 8. Everything I Have Is Yours, 9. KD, 10. Open Highway, 11. Shrack’s Corner I.

Recorded: April 7, 2007 at Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, New York.

Total Time: 73.00 mins.

For his tenth Criss Cross date as a leader, trumpeter John Swana presents his first twin-tenor sextet.
Swana, tenor saxophonists Eric Alexander and Grant Stewart, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington have intersected on many occasions, but never together in a group. The result is an effortless blend of ingrained chemistry with the sound of surprise inherent in first encounters.
"Bright Moments" focuses largely on original material with a couple of standards thrown in for good measure; but the writing is so captivating, the performances so attention-grabbing, that it feels like an album of well-known songs. The ever-inventive Swana creates here challenging contexts for his sextet, with an emphasis on hard-swinging and refined balladry.