Can that be the wondrous walking bass of Leroy Vinnegar? It certainly can, and the presence of this West Coast legend is reason enough to check out this 14-year-old album. Altoist Cramer, though not widely known in Europe, is an experienced and enjoyable player. His technical ability is modest but he gets a full, natural sound, never overblown, and improvises in an unhurried, melodic fashion which eschews empty licks, even on blues changes. Here he pays an obviously sincere tribute to the late Sonny Criss, with whom he studied for eight months in 1977, the year that Criss, a victim of stomach cancer, committed suicide. Sonny's sound, a compelling mixture of sweetness and power, was unique and Cramer does not fully capture it. Yet on numbers such as ‘My Ideal’, ‘Tin Tin Deo’ and especially ‘Buddy Can You Spare A Dime’ he does recall the ambience of Criss' music and Leroy's soulful walking bass does the rest. Johnston and Nolan are tasteful players whose laidback groove was ideal for the project.