Tracks:

1. Vantage Point
Written by Jeff Babko

2. New Blooded
Written by Jeff Babko

3. Bewilderment
Written by Jeff Babko and Simon Phillips

4. Miles Away
Written by Simon Phillips

5. Doubletake
Written by Jeff Babko and Simon Phillips

6. Dreamscape
Written by Simon Phillips

7. One of a Kind
Written by Freddy Hubbard

8. Spirits of Trane
Written by Freddie Hubbard

Recorded at Coy Sound by Ed Stasium on September 3rd, 1999
Spirits Of Trane recorded live at Café Cordiale, Sherman Oaks on September 1st, 1999
Mixed and Mastered by Simon Phillips

Walt Fowler - Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Brandon Fields - Tenor & Soprano
Dave Carpenter - Acoustic Bass
Jeff Babko - Piano
Simon Phillips - Drums

Release Notes:

I "played out" with the Jazz/Rock Fusion style I had been writing and really needed a change. I had been listening to a lot of old be-bop recordings, namely anything recorded by Rudy Van Gelder. I loved the sound - and the playing of course - and I wanted to experiment with this style which not a lot of people had heard me play. I approached Jeff Babko about a collaboration and we started writing some music. Before long we had a set list together and we played a local club gig. The music worked but the band wasn't quite right. However, with the help of Brandon Fields and Walt Fowler taking up horn duties our next gig was wonderful. It was then when I approached Lipstick about recording an acoustic jazz CD for their Jazzline label. Recorded entirely at my house with an acoustic piano in one day and no overdubs. It was sheer bliss. However I took my time mixing as I had never mixed anything like this before. It took a couple of approaches before I nailed it - and that was quite a learning curve.
I am not sure how this CD was received by my fans and I guess looking at the numbers of people in the audience during the Vantage Point tour in 2001 maybe some were not quite so enthusiastic about my departure from a large double bass kit. However I found it to be a terrific learning experience and I know that the audiences we played for seemed to love every minute.
No live albums in the pipeline for this one but I am sure another studio album is on the cards.