Between Two Worlds is the result of Stafford's reexamination of these conundrums, and it speaks to his gifts as a leader that he's able to reconcile so many of them in such spirited fashion. It helps that he's joined by several musicians with whom he shares deep and longstanding relationships: Warfield is the Bird to his Diz, while Barth is a constant in Stafford's bands and Wong shares the stage with him every Monday as part of the renowned Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. All three are also faculty members at Temple. Blake is one of the first drummers that Stafford ever played with in Philly. Stafford refers to all of them, not lightly, as "family."
Acuña is a fellow member of a more recently formed family, the stable of artists convened by Le Coq Records, the label founded by former Flamenco dancer Piero Pata and vocalist Andy James.
Stafford pays loving tribute to his actual family on Between Two Worlds. The buoyant Latin rhythms of "Mi a Mia" are dedicated to his six year-old daughter, recently introduced to the montuno by her Costa Rica-born piano teacher. The gorgeous "Two Hearts As One," exemplifying Stafford's exquisite expressiveness on his horn, is an ode to his wife and their role as shared creators of a new life. "Wruth's Blues," meanwhile, is a boisterous nod to the composer's mother, who was getting a little impatient that her son had yet to write a tune in her honor.
The remainder of the pieces all carry their own significance. The title tune is one that Stafford had played many times before during his days in Lewis' band. Here it is taken at a simmering pace to kick off the proceedings, while the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" is a tender farewell to all those we've lost during these difficult last few years. Among them is the legendary pianist McCoy Tyner, whose "You Taught My Heart To Sing" serves as Stafford's send-off to one of his most important mentors.
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