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Emmet Cohen – Piano (All Tunes Except Track 6)
Russell Hall – Bass
Bruce Harris – Trumpet
Godwin Louis – Alto & Soprano Sax
Pedrito Martinez – Conga (2,3,6)
Herlin Riley – Drums & Vocals
Mark Whitfield – Guitar (1)
For all of the hard rhythmic driving intensity of New Direction, Riley is not one of those drummers who needs to blast away to captivate listeners and to remain engaged. In these powerful arrangements, you can discern Riley’s fascination with complex rhythm cycles, where each man’s instrument seemingly functions as a direct extension of the drummer, by layering contrasting metric accents one upon another with varying degrees of intensity, often as a prelude to some vigorous theme and variation by this most melodic of drummers.
“I want to live in a world where my glass is always half full!” That’s the inspiring maxim of New Orleans master drummer
Herlin Riley. On his second Mack Avenue Records release, Perpetual Optimism, the longtime anchor of the Jazz at
Lincoln Center Orchestra preaches his silver-lined gospel on 10 tracks whose joyous spirit and contagious swing are sure
to convert any listener to the bright side."