Pianist Harold Mabern Assembles
All Star Lineup for Afro Blue -
Available April 14 on Smoke Sessions Records
Album Features Special Guests Gregory Porter,
Norah Jones, Jane Monheit, Kurt Elling,
Alexis Cole, Among Others
"...an endlessly soulful hard-bopper..." - The New York Times
With Afro Blue, his second album for Smoke Sessions Records, Harold Mabern
has taken a compelling new angle on his exceptionally creative musical
vision. But for those who are truly familiar with this extraordinary
pianist's talents, it is a project that is long overdue. While he may be
best known for his powerful playing while soloing or driving so many of
jazz' finest hornmen to spectacular heights of fire and thunder, Mabern
has enjoyed a reputation among vocalists as one of the music's most
sensitive and stimulating accompanists for more than 50 years - ever
since his early days playing with the unparalleled Betty Carter.
On
this album, Mabern has selected five of his favorite vocalists -- who
also just happen to be some of the most popular and respected singers on
today's scene -- and is featuring them as special guests in the company
of his own outstanding ensemble. Gregory Porter, Norah Jones, Jane Monheit, Kurt Elling and Alexis Cole perform individually alongside Mabern's regular ensemble of Eric Alexander on tenor sax and the bass/drums tandem of John Webber and Joe Farnsworth; plus additional guests, trombonist Steve Turre and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt on four and six tracks respectively. Eminent guitarist Peter Bernstein is featured on one track as well.
"I
love to play for singers," explains the pianist. "I feel honored and
flattered that these wonderful vocalists would want to be part of my
little project. I feel good when singers say they love the way you play.
That's a very special compliment."
Despite
the wide variety of personnel, the album is fully cohesive and artfully
conceived, with Mabern's soulful, blues-rooted style of piano
expression as its radiant nucleus. The repertoire of 14 pieces is a
fascinating assemblage of standards, jazz classics, Mabern originals and
a couple of unexpected contemporary hit songs - all performed in
captivating fashion and constructed upon marvelous arrangements. Of the
four Mabern originals, three are dedications to jazz immortals.
The
album opens and closes with two of the homages - both instrumentals.
"The Chief" (for John Coltrane) is for quintet, appropriately modal and
fiery; and the trio piece "Bobby, Benny, Jymie, Lee, Bu" closes with a
tribute to that edition of Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the funky hard
bop flavor those five giants brought to their classic version of Bobby
Timmons' "Moanin'". The trio is also featured on a sizzling rendition of
John 'Moz' Farnsworth's "Mozzin'" fired up by his brother's drumming.
The other instrumental, Steely Dan's biggest hit "Do It Again," is a
feature for Bernstein's guitar wizardry. A third Mabern original, "Such
Is Life," features Alexis Cole deftly handling Mabern's lyrics and
infectious melody, with the three horns providing a backdrop somewhere
between calypso and highlife.
Gregory
Porter is featured on two pieces, a vividly smoking take on the Mongo
Santamaria/Oscar Brown Jr. title cut, with Mabern stoking in classic
Afro-Cuban piano mode; and in a delightful easy groove on the fourth
Mabern original "The Man from Hyde Park" - a dedication to Herbie
Hancock. Norah Jones brings her highly personal style to Bloom &
Mercer's "Fools Rush In," smoothly swinging over Blakey-ish horns; and
in an enchanting, intimate duet with Mabern on Gordon Parks' lovely
"Don't Misunderstand." Jane Monheit is buoyantly spirited on Oakland
& Hammerstein's "I'll Take Romance," and mesmerizing on Wood &
Mellin's gorgeous "My One and Only Love." Bird's bop icon "Billie's
Bounce" is a rip-roaring sojourn in scat by the remarkable Kurt Elling,
while the acclaimed vocalist aptly demonstrates his ballad mastery with a
most poignant take on Robinson & Burdge's exquisite "Portrait of
Jennie." A fortunate serendipity on the Anne Murray mega-hit, Randy
Goodrum's "You Needed Me" - which was slated to be an instrumental
feature for Alexander's robust tenor - caused Mabern to call an audible
when he heard Elling sing the first few words as he was about to depart
the studio. The deeply moving results show how magic can be born by
chance.
Mabern
is unequivocally enthusiastic about this new album: "Wow! I can't
believe we pulled all of it off. Everybody involved did a ten-star job.
Simply beautiful!"
Dazzling
vocal artistry, impeccable musicianship, imaginative soloing, and that
elusive substance of true synergy focused by the singular vision of a
brilliant artist make Afro Blue a truly special experience. For Harold Mabern,
whose enormous accomplishments as a leader are sometimes eclipsed by
his reputation for helping so many Jazz heavyweights realize their own
musical visions, Afro Blue is further testimony to his own legend.
Harold Mabern · Afro Blue
Smoke Sessions Records · Release Date: April 14, 2015
For more information on Harold Mabern, please visit HaroldMabern.JazzGiants.
For more information on Smoke Sessions Records,
please visit SmokeSessionsRecords.com
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