Bob Barnard
"everyone on this CD plays so beautifully.
I was so impressed, I played the whole thing again rightaway"..........Carnival of Venice is a knockout !

George Washingmachine
Al Davey has released his long awaited CD.
Al is one of Australia's best jazz trumpet exponents. From half valve slurs to crystal clear lines he takes the listener on a smooth ride delivering a good honest look at some fabulous tunes that you will all love & enjoy.

January 20 2006:
John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
Music can hardly get more summery than this. Al Davey took a while to get around to making a first CD with his band the monSTARS, but it sounds as if the music just gushed once the tape was rolling.
This is jazz with its eye firmly on the rear-view mirror rather than the windscreen, but the classics are played with verve. Davey's trumpet being plump of sound and sharp of line, while Brad Child's tenor is like an aural massage.

Diana Allen - Jazz Australia
Alan Davey's 'Sleeping In' is one of the most impressive new classic jazz recordings I've heard in a long time.
As Principal of Jazz Australia for the past twenty-one years, and having been a presenter of classic jazz for thirty years in Victoria, listening to jazz recordings of varying degrees of expertise is a major part of my business and I don't get stopped in my tracks very often. This is one of those times. Al's new recording is special!
'Sleeping In' consists of a beautiful choice and balance of tunes and that's always a good start, and although most of the tunes are familiar they all have that essential ingredient in my book, 'the sound of surprise!' This magnificent quintet's tasteful interpretation of classic works makes you feel that you are listening to most of them for the first time!
I had the pleasure of presenting this all-star line-up last year in Melbourne where they were widely appreciated at a variety of venues and to a diverse spread of audiences. They were received everywhere, including Twilight Jazz at the Zoo, with the acclaim they deserve. They are all great musicians.
Congratulations must go to Alan Davey [a former Melbourne musician] and each member of this superb ensemble for a great classic jazz recording. If you are a serious classic jazz enthusiast, no matter how large your collection may be, this is a must!

H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth 11
"Whom the hell is Al Davey?"

Pope Benedict XV1
"Get out of my way!"

January 2006:
CD Review Joy Mestroni (Sydney Jazz Action Society)
Tunes played just as they should be. Wild Man Blues played so smooth, some fast fingering on Waller's Jitterbug Waltz and Wabash Blues played cool. I really enjoyed listening to the two horn players show their stuff, their respect for each other is evident. Brad Child on tenor and clarinet and Al Davey on trumpet and flugel horn. The rhythm section of Stan Valacos on bass and Lloyd Taylor on drums work perfectly. The title track Sleeping In is layback just like the experience of sleeping in. There are a few vocal tracks from Al Davey: Always sung sweetly, and then played hot, Careless Love with a Hammond organ and a lively version of Together. For me Stardust is just so special, it really showcases Al Davey on his trumpet and Peter Locke twinkling on piano. This is one of those CDs that you know you will listen to over and over. This independently released CD received courtesy of Al Davey.

November 2005:
CD Review Jill Morris (Sydney Jazz Action Society)
What a surprise, what a pleasant surprise! And trumpeter Al Davey admits that if it had not been for his lovely wife Emily, he would still be procrastinating about recording a C.D.
Well done Emily. For Al and his band 'The monSTARS' have produced an excellent C.D. called sleeping in.
Davey's group consists of exceptional musicians in Brad Child (tenor saxophone/clarinet), Peter Locke (piano/organ), Stan Valacos (Bass) and Lloyd Taylor (drums). Davey plays trumpet, flugel horn, trombone and sings on several tracks. He even picks up the drumsticks on Arban's show-off piece 'carnival'.
The opening track, Louis Armstrong's Wild man blues, is a knockout with Davey playing crisply and melodically followed by Brad Child's clarinet, as mellow and as fluid a sound as you'll ever hear, and a stunning solo by Peter Locke.
Davey's voice, like the man himself, is laid back and relaxed, particularly on Irving Berlins Always.
If you like this is old fashioned music, not out of the modern school, but it pays a wonderful tribute to the tradition of jazz and is as fresh as today, a delight.
Jill Morris Jazz Action Society