I said we had another Kirk Lightsey album coming up and, yes, this it albeit not under his name. That accolade goes to guitarist Belelty who has put together a superb band that plays in the post hard bop style that I love. Apart from Lightsey the others are new names to me but ones I'll certainly be keeping an eye open for and not least because of the leader himself who has the mellow sound I love to hear from a jazz guitar. No distortion, wah-wahs or fuzz boxes just that lovely, mainly single string approach.
Of course Lightsey is no passenger - when is he ever? Without over asserting himself he is alway there popping up with tantalisingly brief insertions or lengthier solos such as in Shorter's Witch Hunt.
Vincent Youmans' classic, More Than You Know features him in a lengthy exploration of the verse before bringing in Yuria to state the theme. The others lay out and this is one of those classic duets that sometimes happen in jazz but don't always succeed - this one does, does it not!
Thad Jones' Lady Luck is one of those catchy heads that the Basie alumni so often came up with and this one is a pippin. It was originally recorded by Thad on trumpet with brothers Hank and Elvin on piano and drums respectively. This band do the Jones' boys proud.
More Shorter on United and fine solos from the leader, piano, trumpet and tenor.
First time round, I listened in bed anticipating that, as so oftens on these occasions, I would drift off into the arms of Morpheus imagining I was drinking martinis (shaken not stirred) with a defrosted blonde in Birdland listening to, say, this very band. However, dreams don't always work out as you expect. After the disc spun to a close I was still some distance from the Land of Nod trying to remember the name of the final number which, eventually turned out to be Jay Livingston's Never Let me Go. Now I could sleep although I'd missed out on most of the daylight saving time's extra hour in bed! Check this one out on JOJO RECORDS - Lance
Habiba; 415 Central Park West; Pee Wee; Witch Hunt; More Than you Know; Lady Luck; United; Never Let me go.
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