NextBop
There's just something about that Houston, Texas cool. It's a sound so hard to explain, but felt immediately. Maybe it's the humidity. Whatever it is, pianist Eddie Moore has it. Moore and his group, The Outer Circle, just released their debut album, The Freedom of Expression. The core quintet includes Moore on keys, Dominique Sanders on bass, Matt Leifer on drums, and Matt Hopper on guitar, all of whom come together quite nicely. The album also features tenor sax player Erik Blume, drummer Ryan Lee, and tenor player Andy McGhie on “Houston Visions”, as well as Nate Nall and Matthew Baldwin on "Saved by the Bell". The album is straight-ahead in the contemporary sense, a downright pleasure to listen to and a strong debut. Moore is certainly a talent of this era and it'll be interesting to see where else he and this group will go. It certainly worth checking out (and copping) after the jump.
Anthony Dean-Harris