Stardust

by Scott YanowA solid if not spectacular set, this CD teams cornetist Warren Vache with some of Great Britain's top swing/mainstream players of the era: trumpeter Derek Watkins, pianist Brian Lemon, guitarist Dave Cliff, bassist Dave Green and drummer Martin Drew. The sextet performs veteran standards (mostly from the 1930s) plus Vache's basic "A Blues for Bune." With the exception of a few moments (such as Watkins' opening break on "I Got Rhythm" and the solos on "Indiana"), the two brassmen are complementary rather than competitive, and surprisingly few sparks occur. Vache is as lyrical as ever, while Watkins adapted his style (leaving out his potential high notes) to sound very similar to the American; the rhythm section is swinging but rather predictable. A nice effort, but little more.