1. Don't Mess with Mr T
2. Two for T
3. Too Blue
4. I Could Never Repay Your Love
5. Pieces of Dreams
6. Don't Mess with Mr T (Alternative Take)
7. Mississippi City Strut
8. Harlem Dawn
Arranged and conducted by Bob James.
Stanley Turrentine was one of the monster tenor sax players, with a very distinctive hard tone and a driving style of playing. On this record he is heard in various groups from quintet to full orchestra and strings. A glance at the personnel tells you that these sessions should be something special. Ron Carter on bass is outstanding, as is Billy Cobham on drums.
Track 3 has a funky feel about it, with Richard Tee on organ: in my opinion not the best use of Mr T's amazing talents, but very well played nevertheless. I Could Never Repay Your Love is a nice ballad and Mr T gives it a suitable treatment. There is some help from Eric Gale on guitar on this track.
I found it strange that this album has four tracks and four bonus tracks. Were there only four tracks on the original? This is a re-mastered re-release!
Pieces of Dreams brings in the string section and it is beautifully performed by Stanley; playing in this style he is instantly recognisable. According to the sleeve-note there is no listing of who plays piano or organ on this track, but both are present.
Johnny Hammond is on organ for Mississippi City Strut and once again Eric Gale solos on guitar. Harlem Dawn is a composition of pianist Bob James, and Stanley again is in top form.
This is a strange record. There are 28 musicians listed on the sleeve,
some of which are only on one track and do not solo! There are many
better recordings of Stanley Turrentine than this one, but hey anything
from Mr. T is great by me!
Don Mather
CD Reviews
CTI 6030
