by Thom JurekThis album, issued in the wake of the stir caused by the Young Lions compilation album on Elektra Musician, is a first-rate mix of originals and standards beautifully executed by a group of studio players who include brothers Robin Eubanks on trombone, Charles on acoustic piano, and David on bass along with tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore and drummer Ronnie Burrage. Eubanks' choice of covers is brave; from Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and Miles Davis' "Blue in Green" to Wes Montgomery's "The Thumb" and Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," he offers not only chops, but a keen ear for nuance and subtlety. The treatment of Monk's "Evidence" is particularly satisfying for retaining the pianist/composer's angles without sacrificing the swing quotient. Likewise, his solo reading of "The Thumb" is played with great taste, offering no show-off pyrotechnics, yet he interprets the tune for the present day. Eubanks' own tunes, such as "Inner-Vision" with Moore, Burrage, and David, are shaped and informed by not only jazz but soul and blues without falling into crossover cliché. This is a fine first effort. [After being out of print for a decade on CD, Guitarist was reissued by Wounded Bird in 2004.]