With this recording, Ways of the Hand, Nordal cuts yet another batch of diamonds. Distinguished bassist and fellow One O'Clocker Bob Bowman of Kansas City and Seattle-based drummer John Bishop provide confident improvisation, sensitive interplay and a perfectly grounded pulse, all essential to jazz. The history of jazz is partially recapitulated here with an eerily accurate recreation of one piece by Art Tatum plus an original arrangement in the style of Fats Waller. In these and other tracks, Nordal in no way mocks the musical mannerisms of the masters, but demonstrates a fondly reverential approach to their greatness. Then, it's on to tomorrow with two stunning free-form pieces, "Ways of the Hand" and "First Light."

This is mature music of highest intelligence and emotional power and can be deeply enjoyed by anyone willing to really listen. Headphones for focus are highly recommended. If you mentally ask yourself, "Hey, wait a minute! Is this played back faster than recorded?" or "How can music flow out like this so perfectly?" you are using your "roof-top" brain, the highest level of consciousness and optimum place from which to dock emotionally with these artists.

- Cone Johnson (excerpt from the liner notes)