Dave Ballou - The Floating World (2000)

On his third release, trumpeter Dave Ballou opts for a standard quartet, with George Colligan on piano, Doug Weiss on bass, and Darren Becket on drums. Ballou's original compositions are less prevalent this time around, and a casual glance at some of the titles -- "All the Things You Are," "I Hear a Rhapsody" -- suggests that The Floating World might be more middle-of-the-road than his previous efforts. That's only partially true, as Ballou can't resist throwing curves. His four originals are decidedly left of center -- particularly "Bronk," which appears early on. His flugelhorn reading of Thelonious Monk's "Pannonica" (sans Colligan) is fabulous, and his trumpet/piano duo rendition of Eubie Blake's "Memories of You" is inspired on a multitude of levels. Other highlights include Colligan's thunderous solo on "I Hear a Rhapsody" and Ballou's melodic insight on the Bill Evans classic "Time Remembered." Despite its low and inconsistent recording level, The Floating World is superb, proving Ballou's ability to say something very different each time he's heard from.