VICTORY REVIEW                                                

MILO PETERSEN & THE JAZZ DISCIPLES:
VISITING DIGNITARIES CD

#60027 Passage, POB 572739, Tarzana, CA 91357

Solid straight ahead jazz with drummer-composer Petersen giving "Blue Steele" a vamp backbeat to the bop heads run by Jay Thomas trumpet and Rick Mandyck on tenor. Jay Thomas soars on the wedding ode "The Good." "Certain Thoughts" is a swinging modern piece with Marc Seales' piano and Petersen's bass-tom shots propelling Thomas' bright lines.  The ballad "Throwing Roses" shows the light and elegant touch of Seales piano and the round pulse of Phil Sparks' bass. Phil bows and solos on "Seiji and Hiroshi." The latin "Una Piña de Yayo" has Thomas in a Navarro like fever and Mandyck in full tone and then he swings on the straight time title cut with great lyrical warmth. "Prayer" builds off piano drone lines and extended horn counter melodies. Coltrane's "Some Other Blues" is a strong blow-out with each player developing strong solos with Seales getting lyrically blue.  Strong mainstream jazz set of originals with a Coltrane thrown in for good measure. Recommended. (Chris Lunn)