One of the best releases in 2007 was Conversations on Savant by the Cuban-blooded but America-reared Rodriguez Brothers – trumpeter Michael and pianist Robert. For whatever reason, there was no follow-up. Now six years later, during which time he's worked with Eddie Palmieri, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra among others, comes Michael's first CD as a leader and it's excellent. Rodriguez loves to swing but is also extremely conscious of the importance of melody, which plays a major role in every one of the seven titles, four of which are his own tunes and one by brother Robert (‘Like Joe’, as in Henderson, the CD's only burner). The opener ‘Small Feats’ (a clever title) is an unusual medium-tempo reharmonisation by Miami pianist Ronnie Miller of Coltrane's ‘Giant Steps’, which works out very well, while Mike's ‘Enchantment’ could easily fit into the Wayne Shorter-Miles Davis 1960s book. After an extended out-of-tempo horn intro followed by a tom tom solo, the title track ‘Reverence’ turns out to be one of the most attractive of all these melodic themes, with a bluesy relaxed swing groove that inspires the three soloists. Equally appealing is the ruminative subtle 3/4 feel of ‘Wishful Thinking’, which has an interesting bass solo by Kitagawa and beautiful flugelhorn by Rodriguez whose gorgeous ballad feature, the only standard ‘Portrait of Jennie’, confirms his emergence as an important talent of great sensitivity. The closer, Mike's ‘You Did’, is a relaxed swinging blues with a difference and a great feel and rounds off a much recommended record which will certainly appeal to all those who, like this writer, loved the sadly-disbanded Jeremy Pelt Quintet albums of the past five years. Chris Cheek is a revelation, by the way, swinging hard throughout and Clayton continues to develop as a tradition-conscious modernist whose comping is on a par with his solos. Green is super-subtle all the way and Kitagawa, from Kenny Barron's current group, is definitely one to watch.