Criss Cross Jazz 1275 CD

Jim Rotondi

Iron Man

On his sixth session as a leader for Criss Cross Jazz, One For All trumpeter Jim Rotondi pushes the hard bop envelope, broadening the music's horizons with a new quintet that utilizes veteran vibraphonist Steve Nelson in place of the usual piano, giving the group a more open expansive sound.

The band, which also features tenor great Jimmy Greene in the front line and the powerful rhythm team of bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Bill Stewart, digs in on a program evenly balanced between the leader's four fine compositions (including the title track, a dedication to pianist Harold Mabern based on the chord changes of Tune Up) and one each by Greene, James Williams, George Gershwin, and Neal Hefti.