Easily one of the better 4tets you may not be familiar with just yet…Tone, technique and phrasing as a tenor player all catch my ear :30 seconds into “Coming Around” and Tallitsch pulls off the musical hat trick hitting all his marks with precision, finesse and a deceptively intriguing swing that guitarist Dave Allen seems to pick up almost immediately. Rounding out a top flight rhythm section you have organ phenom Jared Gold and highly acclaimed drummer Mark Ferber. This is hard bop that moves with lyrical intensity, a melodic sense of purpose. As the release progress so does the harmonic development and the ability to shift dynamics on the fly all while working without a musical net. “Double Shot” is a deceptively simple tune with punctuated swing adding depth and texture to a release that is seemingly built around musical character Allen’s clean single note runs on guitar and generously comped by Gold with Ferber’s subtle nuance behind the kit acting as the sonic glue binding this most formidable ensemble together. Tallitsch is a gifted lyrical player that while pushing the occasional envelope knows when to real it in and when to push forward with a swing not for the faint of heart. The title “Flat Stanley” alone should pick up high marks for creativity but a captivating organic pulse begins to develop within this tune. Dave Allen works hand in glove with Tallitsch in a role more closely associated as a co-leader but if a chain is truly as strong as its weakest link then there are indeed no weak links here. Gold’s solo on Flat Stanley helps to firmly establish himself as one of the better B3 voices to hit the scene in years.

In what could easily be described as an all-star line up, Tallitsch absolutely works on point ever step of the way. A nice warm tone, accessible but a master technician when it comes to technique and artistic phrasing that would allow him to hold his own on any bandstand. Tom Tallitsch and Heads Or Tales is an absolute winner!