The Trouble With minus drums
“The Trouble With” kicks-off with some serious rhythm work by the composer; rarely has a rhythm guitar part been used so effectively as an intro. A traditional Motown drum fill escorts Bill Evans’ muscular tenor saxophone into the melody. Both Valentino and Evans’ solos are instigated by duets with the drummer. With Valentino, Smith’s snare and bass drum answer (and occasionally end) the guitarist’s slippery phrases.
Coster forgoes the duet, and cuts right to the point with a super-funky organ solo that stabs and darts, building up to a soulful and gradual explosion from Evans. Smith and Evans begin with a duet that leaves you wanting more and Bill proceeds to weave his way through the solo form as though he’s played it a thousand times. The band then lays down a nice vamp for Steve to solo over, climaxing with some furious single strokes before the final chord.