Resonance Records is on a Joe DiMaggio-like streak of consecutive successful “hit” albums in a row. Last year, almost all of the releases were on someone’s top ten list; three of them were on mine alone! This latest one is a delicious collection of vintage soul jazz pianist Gene Harris and his legendary Three Sounds band. The ten songs here were recorded during the Lyndon Johnson years of 1964-68 at The Penthouse in Seattle, Washington with bassist Andy Simpkins and a rotation of drummers Bill Dowdy, Kalil Madi and Carl Burnett. The trio has Harris and company defining the width, breath, height and depth of what a trio can do that grew up influenced by the black church.
Harris and company preach it from the pulpit on a trio of relentlessly rhythmic and boogying pieces that will get you rolling down the aisles on “Rat Down Front,” “Blue Genes” and “The Boogaloo.” The Sunday feel is always present, at least implied if not overtly stated, as he throws some Garnerish trills while deftly employing a perfect mix of space and dynamics on the joyful “Girl Talk” and the twinkling ivories of “The Night Has A Thousand Eyes.” Burnett’s ride cymbal gently pushes Harris’ lyrical prose on “The Shadow of Your Smile” while Dowdy adds some hip drum patters to Simpkins’ deep groove on a Poinciana-inspired “Caesar and Cleopatra.” Simpkins does some deep strumming during “A.M. Blues” while Harris and Madi creates a tension and release like a wave building up just enough energy to finally break and slowly spread out to reach the sand.
Gene Harris knew how to make an evening at a jazz club enjoyable for not only the sophisticated fan “in the know,” but also for the Joe Sixpack guy who just wanted to get out, forget about the day at work, and have a good time; just get a look at the expression of the lady customer on the front cover to give you an idea of Harris’ musical world view. This album hearkens back to an attitude of musicians that needs to be revived.
Resonance Records