A timeless collection of songs put together by timeless minds and souls lead by veteran bopping pianist Harold Mabern make this album a comfort food for jazz aficionados. Mabern’s touch is warm and clean, filled with rich chords that can get comfortable in just about any setting, ranging from the bluesy “Hittin’ the Jug” which lets him throw red meat to the ravenous tenor of Eric Alexander, or throwing in gentle harmonies for Nat Reeves’ bass and Jimmy Cobb’s patented ride cymbal on a humming “So What.” Trumpeter Freddie Hendrix brings in his macho trumpet for some Blue Note-styled hard bop on a macho and modal “The Gigolo” and crisp “Inner Glimpse” while gets elegiac with the leader on “My Funny Valentine.”
Mabern himself strides just right on a rich solo take of “Dat Dere” and swings assiduously with Cyro Baptista’s added percussion on the infectious “To Love and Be Loved.” You can feel the history in each of Mabern’s digits.