Thursday, February 9, 2017

USA: Carl Perkins- Introducing (2017)

Introducing

Perkins is one of the great lost names of jazz, a pianist of rare skills, who wrote the standard 'Groove Yard', but who died in 1958 at the age of 29 from a drug overdose. He left a small recorded legacy: three albums with Curtis Counce recorded for Contemporary, an album with Harold Land and this, his sole album as a leader. Recorded in a trio format with bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Lawrence Marable it is neglected gem of bebop piano, shining out against much of the smoother output that fell under the title west coast jazz. Made up predominantly of Perkins compositions it shows that he was a loss as a writer as well as a pianist. (Previously deleted:5/1/15. Original release date:6/21/96)The original tapes gave up exceptional sound quality and we are able to expand the CD with two tracks not on the original album. One, 'Memories', has never previously been issued.