The first time I heard Stacy Dillard was on a Wycliffe Gordon Criss Cross CD back in 2006 (Cone's Coup), where a Dexter-cum-Coltrane influence was quite prominent in a mainly blues-based set. Then, a few years later, he cropped up on one of underrated bassist Gregg August's excellent albums. Hearing that he was a member of Orrin Evans' Tarbaby group, I only hoped someone would give him a date as leader. Trust producer Gerry Teekens to recognise his potential. Dillard's debut here is auspicious. Like his good friend, JD Allen, he's developed a really strong, individual sound, which hits you immediately and conveys more emotion in a few telling notes than the majority of the same-sounding Berklee type prodigies that clutter the shop shelves put together. An outstanding example of the sound is on one of his originals called ‘There's No Need’, which starts out so quietly and builds to a heartbreaking climax before it fades. And he really opens up his soul on his ballad feature, the Clemons composition ‘West Lexington’. His only soprano track, ‘Can't Shake It’ shows that his sound on the slimmer saxophone is equally strong. Evans contributes typically to-the-point solos on the quintet tracks, but the basic group is a pianoless quartet, particularly effective on the Zulu dedication ‘Stizzozo’. Magnano, Berg and Clemons are virtual unknowns, but all three have great potential, with the latter two also showing much promise as writers. Magnano, as good a guitarist as I've heard in quite a while, is especially effective on Berg's tune ‘Pch’, another standout with more striking Dillard and all four are on fire in the closer, a frantic burn-up by JD Allen, with a highly intelligent drum solo by Clemons. Dillard doesn't sound like anyone but Dillard. A great musician.