Dallas-based Teddy Morgan was a protégé of the less-is-more master Anson Funderburgh, whose rhythm work can be heard throughout this release, and to a large degree Morgan is still immersed in Anson’s style.

Careers have been established with much less influence, but Morgan and the Crawl did not stop there. He has been busy over the last seven or eight years absorbing many influences including the great swing stylists Al Casey Tiny Grimes and Bill Jennings.

Having counted on the vocal and harp talents of Lee McBee, Morgan has undertaken a big responsibility choosing to handle the vocals. This is good to hear; it illustrates his efforts to find his own voice, instrumentally and vocally. While he doesn’t present the depth of emotion that McBee does, he maintains a journeyman’s quality to his presentataion, and I applaud him.

Morgan is writing and playing as well as ever, and singing his own material. That distances him from the pack. And we’re fortunate to be privey to this bold undertaking by a young player tackling the traditon, the way it should be.