Lafayette Harris
New CD "Bend To the Light" + Upcoming Live Appearances  |
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Artist: LAFAYETTE HARRIS, JR.
Title: BEND TO THE LIGHT
Label: Airmen Records AIR010
Release Date: AUGUST 7, 2015
UPC Code: 888295143967
Track listing
1. Bend To the Light 5:06
2. Take You Out 4:02
3. We In the House 11:44
4. 12 Bars 3:26
5. Achern 5:34
6. Japanese Love Poem 3:46
7. Old Devil Moon 6:01
8. Blues On the Edge 4:08
9. Tenderley 6:42
10. Geneva 4:14
11. Bend To the Light VOC. VERSION 6:04
12. We In the House SHORT VERSION 5:36
Musicians: Lafayette Harris Jr.-piano, Lonnie Plaxico-bass, Willie Jones III-drums Bend To The Light, which is my 7th CD, is a collection with music that is meant to leave people feeling good and inspired. Bending towards that positive energy in life is a lifelong goal for all of us and this music is inspired by that aspiration - especially the title cut. I wrote that tune for my sons who were quite active (thank god they are so strong and healthy) but, they doing the usual troublesome things that parents have to deal with: acting up, shouting, fighting, taking each others toys, etc. (They were about 5 and 7 years old at the time.)
Anyway,
people who have heard my previous CD “Trio Talk”, which is mostly
standards, and enjoyed it say that this new one is even better. (I’ll
take it. Thanks!) I definitely feel I grew in the years between these
discs. And I felt comfortable playing my own compositions in a trio
setting rather than relying on the horns to fill out the sound palette.
A
few of the tunes I had previously recorded and wanted to get another
chance at saying what I wanted on them. That’s one of the great things
about being a musician is you get to try new things and do old things a
different way! (Wouldn’t it be great if all life situations had that
possibility?) Lonnie Plaxico who played on my first CD (Lafayette Is
Here) recorded in 1992 is again the anchor of the disc. His forté as a
bassist is his full and natural sound. He is at once, a great
accompanist who pushes the music ahead, and great at taking the
spotlight with his interesting and passionate solos. I first heard him
on record back in the 1980’s on some Cassandra Wilson recordings. His
style was perfect for her singing and lucky for me to have him fit right
in on my first and 7th release! (Lucky 7 baby!)
Willie
Jones III is the youngest man in the band and brings a youthful
buoyancy that I just love. He swings great in this session which we did
in one afternoon out in New Jersey, just like he has for Roy Hargrove,
Ernestine Anderson, Cedar Walton and many others. I really dug his tasty
swing and fills on Herbie Nichols’: “12 Bars”. The modulation section
is actually an arrangement of the tune by my old friend Roswell Rudd.
Roswell was a protege of Nichols and turned me on to this tune that
Herbie never got around to recording. 12 Bars gives me a chance to play
in the stride tradition, which has always been a favorite piano style of
mine.
The
reason this CD itself is titled “Bend To The Light” came sort of by
accident. I was listening to the takes of the CD and I had thought that
“Bend To The Light” would be a vocal performance with no lyrics. So
after the initial session with the trio, I brought the singer Jazzmeia
Horn into Bear Productions to overdub the vocal. We had done 2 takes in
the Jersey session and I had picked the 2nd one as that one sounded more
complete to me. Also it had a vamp at the end that I thought would be
great for Jazzmeia’s talents as an improvisor. I was quite pleased with
her session and was sure I had made up my mind and was done with Bend To
The Light, the song.
A
year later when I was putting the finishing touches on the project I
still hadn’t come up with a title for the CD. Randomly I thought “what
the heck, let me listen to the other take of “Bend To The Light”.
Happily I dug that take too. I decided there was room for both takes on
the CD if I would start with take 1 and end with the take 2 version with
vocals.
At
the same time it came to me that since the tune was about my children
and I love them so much, heck... I should call the CD “Bend To The
Light”! It was an emotional moment for me alone in my office. I could
almost feel the tears coming!!
Bend To The Light!
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Every Tuesday in July 7:30-9pm and
Wednesday's starting in August
Solo piano
163 West 10th street
NYC
Tuesday, July, 28 10:30p
with Will Terrill at Little Branch
22 7th Ave S and Leroy
NYC
Wednesday, July 29 11:30pm-12:30am
with Will Terrill at Smoke
Sunday, August 23 4:30-6pm
St. Peter’s Church
with Ken Simon
Saturday, August 29 7pm
130 E 57th St. Lex.
NY NY 10022
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