Album review: 'Moving Forward' 

Brent Gallaher

"Moving Forward"

V&B Records

brentgallaher.com

New York isn't the only place producing top-notch jazz musicians. Although it may not be high on the radar screen, Cincinnati has a thriving jazz scene, and saxophonist Brent Gallaher has been a vital part of it for more than 25 years. He's toured with the Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey orchestras and served as a sideman on many albums, but he's not well known outside of Ohio. Showcasing his bold tenor style, Gallaher's third CD as a leader, "Moving Forward," may be his ticket to a broader audience.

The title track by Gallaher more than lives up to its name, evoking a sense of perpetual motion through every chorus. His other tune, "Serendipity," has the feel of a 1950's burner. The album features fine tunes by bandmates, trumpet and flugelhorn player Alex Pope Norris and pianist Dan Karlsberg, along with three excellent compositions by another Cincinnati stalwart, Kim Pensyl, who mixed and mastered the album. The one outside tune is Fred Hirsch's gentle "Rain Waltz." The band is rounded out by Aaron Jacobs on bass and drummer Anthony Lee.