Of all the jazz musicians who have risen from Rochester to international prominence, vibraphonist Joe Locke is currently creating the most excitement. Comfortable in an endless array of ensemble settings, his sound shifts with every new album. Locke's latest incarnation finds him in a superb band with pianist Geoffrey Keezer, bassist George Mraz, drummer Clarence Penn and singer Kenny Washington (not the well-known drummer of the same name). This gives Locke the opportunity to transform great pop tunes, like the title track by the Isley Brothers and Neil Young's beautiful "Birds," into jazz standards. He revisits his "Mancini Project," a popular presentation at Jazz at Lincoln Center, with Henry Mancini's "Two For The Road," and reinterprets standards like "The Shadow Of Your Smile" and "That Old Devil Moon." New to this album is a Locke composition complete with lyrics. "Verrazano Moon" is a wonderful tribute to his longtime associate, the late saxophonist Bob Berg.