For those not in the know, Manny Kellough has had a wide-ranging career, playing drums with such notables as Billy Preston, Ray Charles, Freddie Hubbard and even the Rolling Stones. A bandleader since 2002, Kellough enjoys performing fresh versions of standards, music that makes audiences feel good.

On Speaking of Jazz (East to West Coast) (out September 5th, 2021), Kellough gathered together some of his favorite instrumentalists and singers for a set of music that will make listeners smile.

For the first eight numbers, he is joined by pianist William Knowles, bassist Wes “Suga” Biles and on most selections altoist Antonio Parker and trumpeter-flugelhornist Michael Thomas.

The latter three numbers have Manny joined by pianist Matt Clark, bassist Gary Brown and singer Azure McCall.

1. Generosity
2. Secret Love
3. Nothing From Nothing
4. Katrina Ballerina
5. I Thought About You
6. Smile
7. Happy Swing In “F”
8. When I Fall In Love
9. How High The Moon
10. East of the Sun
11. Foggy Day

This vibrantly sculptured new selection opens on the gentle snap of Knowles’ original Generosity and backs that up with a modernized, and upbeat Secret Love, before they roll into Billy Preston’s goodtime Nothing From Nothing, a chance for Michael Thomas’ trumpet to truly shine then comes on Woody Shaw’s melodic jazz waltz Katrina Ballerina, and then we get an uptempo stance in 5/4 time before (switching it to a 4/4 strut), totally swinging version of the Julian Hipkins-vocalized I Thought About You.

Hipkins returns on the expressive Smile which is itself followed by the quintet coming together beautifully for Happy Swing In “F”, an original that lives up to its name, before Manny’s daughter Ashley’s heartfelt vocals are brought forth on their upscale rendition of When I Fall In Love, the album rounding out on Azure McCall’s vocals and finger-snapping beats bringing us How High The Moon, a slower-than-usual East of the Sun, this mighty fine recording closing on the dulcetly-imbued, scat-enhanced Foggy Day.