The Right Time

by Scott YanowThe choice of some offbeat material uplifts this otherwise fairly typical offering by tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton's mid-1980s quintet, a group also including pianist John Bunch, guitarist Chris Flory, bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Chuck Riggs. "Sleep," "If I Love Again," Hoagy Carmichael's "Eventide" and even Cole Porter's "All Through the Night" are not performed all that often, and one does not mind hearing additional versions of "Just In Time" and "Skylark"; the date is rounded out by a pair of Hamilton's originals. Everyone swings as usual, and Hamilton (who has yet to make an inferior recording) is in fine form.