By Jack Goodstein, BLOGCRITICS.ORG
Published 10:00 pm, Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Smoke Sessions Records, a new jazz recording label launched by the owners of the New York City jazz club Smoke, is nothing short of a godsend for jazz lovers-make that music lovers. While originally intended to focus on live performances of musicians associated with the club, not a bad idea given that Smoke features the cream of an elite crop, the success of the first releases may well argue for tweaking that original intention.
The first of the albums, pianist Harold Mabern's Right on Time, is as good an advertisement for the series as anyone could want. Recorded in March of 2013 during the weekend of his 77th birthday, Mabern (working with bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth) plows through an energetic set mixing classic jazz tunes, an original or two, and even a couple of unusual choices. It is a lively, foot-tapping set filled with performance gems. Mabern is at the top of his game. His solos are rich and filled with wit. Webber and Farnsworth are the perfect complement.
Whether they are transforming "Dance With Me," the disco piece that opens the album, theLaverne and Shirley theme, "Making Our Dreams Come True," or .....
Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Harold-Mabern-Right-on-Time-5508495.php
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