Paul Motian and the EBBB play Monk and Powell (Winter & Winter)
With their latest release, drummer Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band, one of the finest small ensembles of the last decade, brings a typically imaginative, coherent response to the music of Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. Made while Chris Potter (tenor), Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) and Steve Swallow (electric bass) were still with the group - completed by tenor Chris Cheek and guitarist Steve Cardenas - the results include superb reworkings of Rootie Tootie, Brilliant Corners and a gorgeous I'll Keep Loving You, with the band's resources beautifully marshalled by Motian throughout the album. They play Vicar Street next week with Pietro Tonolo, Ben Monder and Anders Christiansen in for Potter, Rosenwinkel and Swallow.
- Ray Comiskey
Gene Harris: Swingin' The Blues (Concord)
Harris, who died last January, was an exuberantly skilful pianist whose best recorded work was done late for Concord, rather than the Blue Note label with which he found fame originally. It's underlined by this well-chosen, budget-priced two-CD set covering the years 1984-94, from his small ensemble and big band recordings on Concord. Although mostly working groups, they included such guests as Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Scott Hamilton and Stanley Turrentine with the trios, quartets and sextets, while the talent-crammed orchestra could call on Harry Edison, Conte Candoli, Johnny Coles, Urbie Green, Ralph Moore, James Moody and Ralph Smulyan among others. Nothing profound here - just crisp, classy craftsmanship executed with joyously irresistible swing.
- Ray Comiskey