One can almost hear trombonist, composer and bandleader Stephen Walker saying, “Hey, kick it off, Herlin” to drummer Herlin Riley on Midnight Cocktails‘ hot opening number, “Blues Walker.” It’s one of three Walker originals that all stand out as some of the very best cuts on the album. And well, with Riley behind the trap set, the only other artist beside Walker himself heard throughout, the rhythm is in very, very good hands.

The strong ensemble with the horns of Walker, tenor saxophonist Ricardo Pascal and trumpeter John Michael Bradford states the melody before the trombonist takes off on the first inventive, swinging solo that includes stylist shades of New Orleans.

The mood changes on Walker’s lovely title cut, “Midnight Cocktails,” a beautiful ballad with a classic big band era atmosphere. Tonally, his trombone is silky sweet, his arrangement perfection. Certainly, adding to the beauty is the five-man reed section with Clarence Johnson III, alto, Derek Douget and Scott Johnson, tenors, Trevarri Huff-Boone, baritone and Gregory “Speedo” Agid, clarinet.

Sticking with the originals, on “Slide Winder” the ensemble gets narrowed down to a quartet. It gives pianist Kyle Roussel plenty of quiet space in which to add flourishes to the Latin-tinged tempo with Riley laying down the essential rhythm.

There are several well-done standards that include the chestnut, “September in the Rain” on which Marcella Ratcliff initially sings a fine duo with bassist David Pulphus. Trumpeter Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown, an old “runnin’ partner” of Walker, teams with the trombonist on the front line on “When My Dreamboat Comes Home.” Naturally he’s at the mic too singing the familiar, upbeat lyrics.

Stephen Walker really shines in his varied roles as a trombonist, composer and arranger on Midnight Cocktails that’s deserving of an enthusiastic, congratulatory toast.