Malachi Thompson - New Standards (1994)

A very nice disc from Thompson and his Freebop group. New Standards takes on a nice variety of material, from "If I Only Had a Brain" to a couple of pieces by Thompson himself, including a drastic rearrangement of "Dyhia Malika" that freshens it up and expands it musically. The playing is entertainingly upbeat, keeping the music interesting even when Thompson and the band go off into improvisational wilds. Thompson's trumpet work is outstanding, entertaining and listenable without condescending to the production of light and fluffy jazz.