1
Diz Related
2
South Side
3
I Wish I Knew
4
Homage To Norman
5
Nascimento
6
S.W.B. Blues
7
Lester Leaps In
8
Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered
9
Centerpiece
Al Grey – Trombone
Harry "Sweets" Edison –Trumpet
Jerome Richardson –Alto sax, tenor sax, flute
Junior Mance – Piano
Ben Brown – Bass
Bobby Durham – Drums
Reissued
in Telarc's "Discover Jazz" mid-price series,
this is a cheerfully informal session recorded
in March 1995 at New York's Blue Note club.
Most of the tracks are easygoing swingers,
but Bewitched is a ballad featuring
Al Grey's persuasive trombone (with a lovely
half-chorus from pianist Junior Mance) and
Barry Harris's Nascimento is a bossa
nova with some flawed notes in the theme statement.
The
occasional gaffes can be put down to anno
domini, since both Grey and Edison were
already veterans (Al Grey was 69 and Harry
Edison ten years his senior). Yet both men
play elegantly most of the time – for example,
in Al Grey's composition Homage to Norman
(with Al quoting from People Will Say We're
in Love) and in I Wish I Knew where
Edison's plaintive trumpet pleads as well
as singing and swinging. Edison finishes the
tune with his unique long-drawn-out diminuendo.
Jerome Richardson plays with workmanlike expertise
and the rhythm section acquits itself well.
Junior Mance's piano playing is sensitive
in accompanying as well as creative in soloing.
This
is not an essential album for your collection
but, if you want a session of good-natured
mainstream swing, this will do nicely.
Tony
Augarde
CD Reviews
Telarc
Jazz CD 83379
