2003
How My Heart Sings

1. Here's to Neil 7:10
2. City Tune 6:28
3. Mother of Earl 5:52
4. Silverado Trail 6:47
5. How My Heart Sings 6:03
6. Return to Love 6:21
7. Earl's Blues 7:27
8. Elsa 6:56
9. Heads or Tails 5:16
10. Soirée 3:46

Music of Earl Zindars, some recorded by Bill Evans

Bob Sheppard - sax
Bobby Shew, Justin Ray - trumpets
Bruce Paulson - trombone
Jeff D'Angelo - bass
Joe La Barbera - drums
Andy Waterman - recording
Talley Sherwood - mixing and mastering
Reed Kotler, Bill Cunliffe - producers

Earl Zindars is a talented but obscure songwriter who is best known for a few songs that were recorded by Bill Evans in the 1970s. Pianist Bill Cunliffe, who was only slightly familiar with Zindars' work until a year before the release of How My Heart Sings, has done the jazz world a strong favor by recording ten of Zindars' best numbers for the album, arranging them in inventive fashion for his sextet. Sometimes the post-bop renditions are slightly reminiscent of Herbie Hancock's Speak Like a Child album or Hancock's late-'60s sextet, but there are also swinging sections and plenty of originality along with utilization of tricky time signatures. The ballad "Return to Love," a complex reworking of "Heads or Tails," and "Elsa" are among the high points, while the band gets to stretch out a bit on "Earl's Blues." Justin Ray's flügelhorn is added to the group's sound on two numbers. Overall, this set is a gem, giving today's listeners some fresh "new" music, and today's jazz musicians a few more choices to add to their repertoire. Highly recommended. -Scott Yanow