Steve Hobbs: Vibes Straight Up

He's a virtuoso vibraphonist with an inexhaustible imagination, and as up-to-date as they come, but deep down Steve Hobbs loves a good, old-fashioned tune. That's what makes this set so unusual and so delightful. He takes nine familiar melodies, from "Shenandoah" to "The Woody Woodpecker Song", polishes them, juggles with them and hands them back refreshed. And you don't need a degree in music to follow every move. Pianist Bill O'Connell, bassist Peter Washington and drummer John Riley complete the immaculate quartet.