Bill Cunliffe has long been a top-notch pianist and arranger based in Southern California who occasionally ventures to the East Coast.

For this full-length set, Cunliffe plays piano solos and contributes his modern arrangements to such songs as “Stolen Moments,” “Dizzy’s Business,” and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma.”

Cunliffe heads a septet also featuring trumpeter Jon Faddis, tenor-saxophonist Jimmy Greene, trombonist Michael Dease, guitarist Vic Juris, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Dennis Mackrel.

Among the highlights are a ballad feature for Greene and a showcase for guitarist Juris.

-Scott Yanow