A side man back in the day for the likes of Lee Morgan, Grant Green, Art Farmer and Wes Montgomery, pianist Harold Mabern is finally getting the accolades as a leader in his own right. Here, the 82 year old plays like only one growing up in the bop era is able, with a dna-infused swing feel, filled with style and taste. His team of beefy toned Eric Alexander/ts, John Webber/b and the indefatigable Joe Farnsworth/dr is hand in glove made for this outing.
The two disc set records two different sets, each with a trio track in the middle of the outing. Farnsworth’s brushes are like Fred Astaire’s shows to Mabern’s Hayworth fingers on “ I Remember Clifford” and a sleek read of “Mr. PC.” In the quartet setting, Mabern gives a soulful intro to the funky modal tune “A Few Miles From Memphis” and a genteel flow into the driving “Nightlife in Tokyo.” Alexander fills the room with his big voice, nice and gristly on the backbeat of “T-Bone Steak” and breathy on the ballad “She’s Out of My Life” while the team gives an assertive read of Jobim’s “How Insensitive.” Mabern kicks out the jams and gives an upbeat read along with Farnsworth’s ride cymbal to an upbeat “Dear Lord” and boogaloos in wide whale chords on the frisky “Rakin’ and Scrapin’.’ Every part of his career from vintage R&B to bop to left of center is covered here. His hands contain ten digits of history.