Lafayette Harris Jr: Hangin’ With The Big Boys

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Houston Person (ts)
Antoine Drye (t)
Jazzmeia Horn (v)
Noël Simoné Wippler (v – two tracks each)
Lafayette Harris Jr (p)
George DeLancey (b)
Caleb Curtis (as)
Will Terrell (d)

Label:

Airmen

June/2016

Catalogue Number:

AR011

RecordDate:

30 May 2013

Harris is the Brooklyn-based pianist who came here with Max Roach nearly two decades ago, and is known for work with Roswell Rudd, Cindy Blackman, top-flight singers and Houston Person. It’s the saxophonist who is the highlight of several tracks here, including dead- slow versions of ‘In A Sentimental Mood’, ‘The Very Thought Of You’, and two of several creative blues tunes. I’m assuming the reputation of the other musicians hasn’t spread much beyond Brooklyn, but their straightahead savvy is demonstrable, and the unhurried work of Drye and Curtis is impressive. Singers Horn and Wippler have one feature each, though it was probably a mistake to open the programme with their less-than-top-flight jamming on the brief ‘Blue Skies’. But the original material elsewhere is worthy of attention, and this set recorded with an invited audience shows the depth of talent that’s around these days.

Follow us

Jazzwise Print

  • Latest print issues

From £5.83 / month

Subscribe

Jazzwise Digital Club

  • Latest digital issues
  • Digital archive since 1997
  • Download tracks from bonus compilation albums during the year
  • Reviews Database access

From £7.42 / month

Subscribe

Subscribe from only £5.83

Never miss an issue of the UK's biggest selling jazz magazine.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Jazzwise magazine.

Find out more