Allen's a decent though hardly extraordinary mainstream drummer who here leads an all-star neo-bop contingent in a set of standards and originals. Nothing surprising about the general conservatism of the date, given the personnel – Vincent Herring on alto sax, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, and Cyrus Chestnut on organ, to name a few. There's also nothing in particular wrong with the music, which is heartily played and deeply felt. Nothing, that is, except for the fact that it's covering ground that's been pretty much trampled into dust. It's a pleasant-enough listen, however, and since Cannonball Adderley isn't around to make albums like this anymore, maybe it's a good thing that musicians like these are. On the other hand, as long as guys like Johnny Griffin, Joe Henderson, and Phil Woods still walk the planet, the need is somewhat diminished.

If a new George Freeman album is always a blessing, then what is a new George Freeman album featuring two world class backing bands? That’s the riddle we’ll need to solve as we spend more time with his newest CD, The Good Life. George is joined on the first half of the album by Joey DeFrancesco and Lewis Nash and on the second half of the disc, by Christian McBride and Carl Allen. These songs, five by George, and two standards (“If I Had You” and “The Good Life”) are all beautifully played, with George’s brilliant tone and musical ideas front and center on “Mr. D” (George’s tribute to Joey DeFrancesco). “1,2,3,4” has a Chicago to New Orleans groove happening that is slick and fun, and that tone with Christian McBride’s big bass notes? That’s a good time, indeed.

Drummer Carl Allen welcomed some of "The Young Lions" to his Atlantic CD, including altoist Vincent Herring, Teodross Avery on tenor, and trumpeter Marcus Printup. The music, essentially modern mainstream jazz circa 1967, is comprised mostly of Allen's originals. Printup sounds like a mixture of Freddie Hubbard and Wynton Marsalis, Herring is content to emulate Cannonball Adderley, and Avery looks toward early John Coltrane; in other words the soloists are generally pretty derivative. Despite that fault, the performances (which have colorful guest appearances from tenor-saxophonist George Coleman and trombonist Steve Turre) are generally enjoyable and hard-swinging.

The music on this CD is very much in the Young Lions/modern hard bop vein. In this 1989 session, drummer Carl Allen leads a fairly young all-star group - comprised of trumpeter Roy Hargrove, Vincent Herring on alto, soprano, and flute, pianist Donald Brown, and bassist Ira Coleman - through five originals by bandmembers and five standards. Veteran trumpeter Freddie Hubbard sits in on "Piccadilly Square" (a rare chance for one to hear both Hubbard and Hargrove soloing on the same number) and "In the Still of the Night." Few surprises occur, but the musicians (particularly Herring) play up to expectations and fans of hard bop will enjoy this.