Reviewed by Michael Barbara

The CD One Way / Detour stayed in my rotation for a long time, and it seems like every time you listen to it, you discover something new.  The album features the winning combination of the Bob Albanese Trio, featuring Albanese on piano, Tom Kennedy on bass, and Willard Dyson, with Ira Sullivan, on tenor/soprano saxophones and flute.

Those of us born and raised in New York experience an immediate, sympathetic bond with the oxymoronic cover art, which displays one way and detour signs pointing in opposite directions, but rest assured, there is no lack of direction or creativity in Albanese’s music, or in his performance, recorded over a two day session in 2008.

The synergy of the Trio first becomes apparent in the opening track, Albanese’s “Major Minority,” which illustrates the complex rhythmic and tonal variations that mark many of the tracks on the album.  Kennedy and Dyson follow Albanese’s improvisations, laying down a strong, but perfectly subtle foundation.  Kennedy is certainly no stranger to this role, as he is the younger brother of accomplished pianist Ray Kennedy, and one would surmise that he grew up with an ear for complex chord progressions and intricate melodic solos.

Sullivan’s tenor sax is evident on the familiar standard “Yesterday’s Gardenias,” and the song demonstrates the trio’s skill in backing up Sullivan’s solos. Listen carefully for Albanese’s selection of chord changes underneath the melody and solos, and Kennedy’s well-crafted solo breaks.

The title track “One Way / Detour,” seems to evoke the myriad of emotions one feels when encountering an unplanned diversion from our route, as you try to keep in unison with the trio on the intricate rhythm of the opening riff!  Moving between the halting melody, and the swinging solos, you get the feeling of the stop-and-go reality of New York traffic, with brief interludes of steady progress.  Moving smoothly into “Morning Nocturne,” Dyson’s solid samba-like groove will have you moving your feet, but it never getting in the way of Albanese’s soaring solo.

“Joyful Noise,” is a Latin-jazz composition that again exhibits some of the unexpected, but perfectly crafted, variations in time and mood which characterize Albanese’s writing.  Kennedy and Dyson once again strike a balance between providing a solid foundation that possesses enough variations to keep the beat moving forward.  

As he moves over to alto flute, Sullivan provides a wonderful, intimate rendition of Monk’s “Ugly Beauty,” as the timbre and texture of the instrument are beautifully captured in the recording.

Another Albanese original, “Waiting for Louis,” highlights some nice interaction between the members of the trio, as solos by Kennedy and Dyson are woven between the driving piano melody and accompaniment. 

The Lionel Hampton classic “Midnight Sun,” invites Sullivan back with his soprano sax while he performs a duet with Albanese, a rendition that is stirring in its simplicity, yet it retains a degree of interaction that Sullivan characterized as “like we’ve been playing together for years.”

“Friendly Fire,” and the alternate take “More Friendly Fire,” close out the session.  Written by Albanese on the day of the recording, they were composed with and the tenor saxophone solos in mind.  The extended breaks by Kennedy and Dyson, and the swinging backdrop of the trio leave you wanting more.  That is the way that it should be!!