Many guitarists vie for our attention in the world we live in today. Sheryl Bailey warrants it. The debut of her working quartet on For All Those Living (Pure Music 5111) finds her in very good company, playing well-conceived straight-ahead music in a post-Wes Montgomery niche. Jim Ridl sounds excellent on piano and works well with Sheryl. The rhythm section of Gary Wang on bass and Shingo Okudaira, drums, propels the music along nicely. Sheryl's all-originals set shows too that she wields a tastefully discriminating pen with tunes that are very right for what the quartet is about.
It's Sheryl's ringing, yet burnished tone and her swingingly smart line weaving that get my attention on this one. She has poise, polish, and the excitement of well-chosen phrases that swing. She is young and we can I hope look forward to many years ahead where she further develops her style. She is certainly someone to watch--and to listen to!
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