Every generation has the pianist who’s been a reliable sideman, never becomes a major force, but is admired and respected for impeccable taste and style. George Cables is that man for these times, as this session with Essiet Essiet/b and Victor Lewis/dr ably demonstrates.
Nothing fancy here; his touch is as deft as a diamond cutter as he skates to a ¾ bopper on “After the Morning” and is sleek and sensuous on “Naima’s Love Song,” both composed by similarly styled John Hicks. The band gets assertive with Lewis’ high hat work on “Mr. Anonymous” and gets into a deep bluesy groove on “EVC,” both from Cables’ hand. Ellingtonia is never far away here, and Cables does some nice chordal work on the intro to “It Don’t Mean A Thing” while being playful on “Love You Madly” and going solo on the pastoral “Day Dream.” What more could you want from a pianist?
High Note Records