Somethin's Burnin'

by Scott YanowGuitarist Peter Bernstein, who was 25 at the time, made his recording debut as a leader on this CD. He plays quite well, as does his friend, the up-and-coming pianist Brad Mehldau. Teamed with bassist John Webber and drummer Jimmy Cobb, Bernstein and Mehldau (who was almost recognizable at this early point) play three of the guitarist's originals, four jazz standards, and Lee Morgan's "Mr. Kenyatta," all in the modern hard bop style. Although Bernstein (who often sounds a bit like Wes Montgomery) and Mehldau would grow quite a bit from where they were in 1992, this was a fine start for their careers.