Mean What You Say

Cecil Bridgewater has been such a talented and reliable trumpeter for so long that it is surprising how few sessions he has led through the years. On this modern hard bop date, Bridgewater plays a couple of songs he wrote for a suite honoring Cannonball Adderley, utilizes singer Vanessa Rubin on "Like an Old Song" and "I Think I Might Try Love Again," performs one of her pieces as an instrumental, and revives Thad Jones' "Mean What You Say." Although few sparks occur (the date never quite catches fire), the music is well played and enjoyable.