Give a listen to the blues-soaked groove on Bookie"s tune "Pete"s Rock"-you"ll understand why Monk, Cannonball, Sarah Vaughan and Sonny Rollins loved playing with Walter. The gorgeous sound of his 1792 Viennese bass gracefully propels the quintet with effortless, melodic danceability. The legendary Cecil Payne"s mellow, breathy bari sax and Marcus Belgrave"s ultra-blue trumpet are out front. Leroy William"s drum accents are subtle explosions. And Roni Ben Hur"s evocative acoustic guitar work would make Wes smile. You can hear Bookie"s note-bending soulfulness and the big, deep sound of his high-action pluck with utter clarity. (#07232)