ALBUM REVIEWS

VINCENT HERRING

“Don’t Let It Go”

MusicMasters

* * 1/2

“Don’t Let It Go” is a sophisticated, competently executed date that beautifully showcases Herring’s alto and soprano work. His sound--cool, considered and tonally pleasing--never overreaches or makes cheap appeals to the emotions. And in such highly visible bandmates as pianist Cyrus Chestnut and drummer Carl Allen, as well as the less familiar Scott Wendholt on trumpet, Herring gets equally competent support and improvisational complements.

But the eight tunes here are all of one mind, recalling the Jazz Messengers-inspired sax-trumpet quintets of the ‘60s, especially the contributions from Herring and Wendholt, which shadow the writing of pianist Cedar Walton. Herring, one of the most serious saxophonists now recording, should disregard his title tune’s advice and cut loose a bit more.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).