It pulses with melody and resonates with big splashes of the good stuff.
The first thing that jumps out of the Johnny Griffith Quintet’s Dance with the Lady is the strong front line. It pulses with melody and resonates with big splashes of the good stuff, swinging with a punchy but not too heavy band behind it.
The leader is the Canadian saxophonist and composer Johnny Griffith, as might be apparent, and the quintet formed in early 2013 with designs on recording an extended play. That blossomed into a beautiful relationship and Dance with the Lady winds up being their iridescent debut. The group includes pianist Adrean Farrugia, bassist Jon Maharaj and drummer Ethan Ardelli along with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt.