If you consider yourself an expert on big band recordings of the 1990s but have never heard Curiosity, it isn't surprising--Abstract Truth was obscure even in the Philadelphia Area, where its members were based. Those who stumbled across this little known CD, recorded in early 1991, found it to... [+] Expand

If you consider yourself an expert on big band recordings of the 1990s but have never heard Curiosity, it isn't surprising--Abstract Truth was obscure even in the Philadelphia Area, where its members were based. Those who stumbled across this little known CD, recorded in early 1991, found it to be an enjoyable post-bop outing that is greatly influenced by Oliver Nelson's arranging of the 1960s (one of Nelson's best known albums, in fact, was titled Blues and the Abstract Truth). No one's going to accuse Curiosity of being the work of Buddy Rich imitators or of containing generic arrangements of the same old standards--except for Frank Foster's "Simone," all of the writing was done by Truth's leader/trumpeter John Vanore, whose thoughtful compositions range from the sentimental "Return" to the Asian-influenced "Origami" and the McCoy Tyner-ish "Motion Potion." The CD falls short of innovative; Nelson, after all, was doing this type of thing 30 years earlier. But it's a satisfying release from an outfit that should be better known. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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