This is JD's seventh album for Savant and, as on the previous release Radio Flyer, the trio has become a quartet with the inclusion of the ultra-sensitive guitar playing of Liberty Ellman, whose harmonic musings seem to mesh perfectly with the leader's concept. This is JD's first ballads album and also his first featuring all standards. As he says in his somewhat droll liner notes, he decided to follow the lessons of great tenormen like Lester Young, Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon and learn the lyrics of the songs before recording them. As he puts it, “playing the melody while knowing the lyrics is like drinking champagne alone and laughing at yourself all night long”. Allen's greatest asset has always been his tone and the pace of the ballads gives us the opportunity to really appreciate its quality – quite unique among today's saxophonists. There's lots of melody here as well as very individual improvisation. Regular group members Gregg August and Rudy Royston (mainly on brushes) offer subtle, sensitive support to Allen and Ellman throughout the ninetrack album. It would be churlish to pick out particular titles, just settle back and enjoy them all. A first-rate recording.