(Origin Records)

Trumpetman Brad Goode’s excellent new release, Chicago Red is perfectly titled. The music, like the midwest city Goode calls home, is big and cool. Goode glides over the rhythm and groove with the right balance of space and notes. This allows all elements of the compostions and performances to be heard and appreciated. Goode wrote all but two of the selections on this recording, paying tribute to works by W.C. Handy and Rugerro Leoncavallo. Goode is backed on the effort by Jeff Jenkins on piano and keyboards, Bill Kooper on guitar, Paa Kow on drums, Rony Barrak on darbouka and Bijoux Barboza on bass. A thoroughly fresh-sounding and enjoyable production.