Baker, a relatively new name to me, is a welcome addition to the vibraphone lineage that began with Red Norvo and Lionel Hampton and developed over the years via Terry Gibbs, Milt Jackson, Victor Feldman, Gary Burton, Bobby Hutcherson through to Joe Locke and many others although not that many compared to other instruments.
Be Still, the album, comprises a mix of originals, pieces by Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson and one standard - Body and Soul - all done to perfection. Despite having the same line-up, this is far removed from the music of the Modern Jazz Quartet. It's as contemporary as MJQ was back in the day but without the pseudo classical touches.
Apart from Baker, who must surely soon be on the DB critic's and reader's radar - his version of Body and Soul ranks alongside Hamp's famous recording of Stardust as one of the definitive ballad performances on vibes - Cornish, Godoy and Moolchan are equally superb and the fact that none of them made the cut either just goes to show just how many top class musicians there are, not just in America but world wide. So what chance do four guys in Houston, Texas have against the cats in NYC?
Given enough exposure - every chance! Lance
T'was; Be Still; Lexi's Lullaby; Herzog; Jinirikisha; There's Beauty in Fear; The Light; Body and Soul
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