Consider the Blues

Another Man Done Gone, a traditional chain gang song features guest singer Tabreeca Woodside who brings a Nina Simone feel to this protest song. A voice ideally suited to the material. Tardy shows on tenor. However, it's on Johnson's Magic Umbrella where Tardy shows that he's anything but tardy when it comes to dealing out a mind-blowing tenor solo! I found myself standing up and clapping even though I was the only one in the room! I don't even do that for Bird, Diz, Frank, Ella or the rest of the gang! Jazz, the sound of surprise as always. Greg's on my list when the next DB Poll comes around.
As is Louis Heriveaux - I've just done a job (a good one) on his recent CD - Heriveaux's piano on Dirge Blues does nothing to lessen my enthusiasm. Goble's bass, like his intro to It Ain't Necessarily So, adds to the happy/sad feeling the disc depicts.

Tardy on Belle Isle rubber stamps my enthusiasm for a tenor player I'd never heard of until today!

The Ants Went Marching in One by One but They Didn't Come Back may be a bizarre title and unlikely to become a standard but there's nothing bizarre about Greg's playing - track 7 and I'm already calling him by his first name, that's how good his playing is! The Kirtipur Suite has three movements - Hold Tight; Uncertainty; Hopefully. Each one showing the quartet off to their best advantage - leader Gobles well featured on the latter. Finally, Three Little Words which we all know means I Love You. On this occasion, however, it should be, Three Big Words! Best version since Sonny Rollins!

PS: Recommended!