After 24 years of what he calls “selling the dream to help people make music”, Craig Malcor is now living the dream by making his own music. With the help of producer Mike Parlett, he has assembled a “dream team” of brilliant LA players. Malcor’s classy trumpet sound is a joy, and his melodic solos and leads are remarkable for their taste and restraint. Beginning with the Starsky & Hutch funk of “The Opener”, Between Sounds takes the listener on a journey through Malcor’s compositional mind – music that, having waited patiently to emerge, is now ready to jam! Each track has its own story to tell, using a musical language that combines elements of classic 1970s funk with more contemporary grooves. Malcor’s arrangements are tight and assured, piloted by Jon Papenbrook’s powerful, soaring lead trumpet. For the last 40 years, Bob Sheppard’s saxophone mastery has graced the work of many jazz icons and continues to impress on this album. Ido Meshulam’s trombone solos on “Out of the Rain” and “Repetition & Reflection” are a welcome new discovery for this writer. Matt Hornbeck delivers some great rock-tinged solos on “New Horizons” and “Love Unconditionally” featuring Alex Nestor’s soulful vocals. Producer Parlett, managing to play while pushing buttons and faders, delights with his nimble soprano and baritone sax solos. The groove provided by drummer David Zarlenga and percussionist Ronnie Gutierrez is solid, even when Malcor throws some unusual time signatures or changes of feel into his compositions. Bassist Adam Cohen has the rare talent of keeping the rhythm grounded while playing superbly melodically. Mitch Forman’s piano and keyboards are a special pleasure throughout, especially the two solo piano tracks “In Times of Trouble” and “Mitch’s Reflection”. “Between Sounds” is a bottle of brandy that has been sitting in a cellar for 24 years. Open. Consume. Enjoy.