Recorded in Seattle during September 1999, Live At Starbuck's is arguably Ray Brown's best effort yet for Telarc and given the quality of the earlier albums--notably the Best Friends series--that's high praise indeed. Joined by pianist Geoff Keezer and drummer Karriem Riggins, Brown kicks things off unimprovably with his blistering composition "Up There" and contributes two other originals along the way, the delightful "Brown Bossa" and a stirring "Starbucks Blues" that closes the set. Elsewhere there are imaginative readings of Tadd Dameron's "Our Delight", "I Should Care" and "When I Fall In Love" (superb Keezer on the latter) and a distinguished Ellingtonian tryptych--"Mainstem", "Caravan" and "Love You Madly". There's never been a harder swinger than Brown throughout jazz history, so look forward to plenty of high-octane jubilation. But he's a subtle and incisive melodist too, and a much undersung arranger. All his prodigious wares are on display here, and you shouldn't waste a minute adding it to your wish list. --Richard Palmer