Vibraphonist Harris, a musician whose discography includes impressive albums for Blue Note, above all 2003's ambitious The Grand Unification Theory, has never quite enjoyed a profile in step with his talent. Still, his ensemble Black Out, complete with two key players from its first incarnation, drummer Terreon Gully and saxophonist Casey Benjamin, remains well worth attention. Of greater significance is Harris’ choice of repertoire here. While the aforementioned CD underlined his credentials as a composer in his own right, this setlist is notable for takes on timeless 1960s soul jazz and post-bop classics by Bobby Timmons, Wayne Shorter, Abbey Lincoln and Horace Silver. To his credit, Harris has brought a distinct freshness to his arrangements, while not succumbing to the sometimes irksome strategy of dispensing with the tune altogether. Hence the wry fluctuations of tempo on ‘Cape Verdean Blues’ do not stifle the zest of the melody. As for ‘Dat Dere’, it is given a fast, edgy workout in which staccato chords enhance the teasing melancholy of the original. That said, Harris’ pieces retain the finesse of his earlier work, particularly ballads such as the beautiful ‘Let's Take A Trip To The Sky’ with its graceful, pastel shadings of marimba à la Bobby Hutcherson, whose timeless ‘Now’ is also skillfully reprised. A solid offering from an artist who walks the right line between tradition and modernity.