Third Ward Stories is a bit of a musical biography for this Houston-bred, thoroughly grounded member of the rich Texas Tenor tradition, his paean to the neighborhood he grew up in and the musical memories embedded in the soil of that 'hood. With stops in New Orleans, New York and later, Tallahassee and Florida State University where he earned his Masters degree, Hainsworth here gathers longtime friends from that journey for his second recording as a leader. With co-producer, NY trombonist Michael Dease, pianist Glenn Zaleski, drummer Johnathan Blake, Josh Evans on trumpet and Adam Olszewski on bass, Hainsworth explores Wayne Shorter's "Prince of Darkness" and Hoagy Carmichael's classic ballad, "The Nearness of You," along with seven original compositions. •"...an audacious and colorful musical statement that clearly augers well for this promising artist." - ALL ABOUT JAZZ