Ethan Iverson Quartet with Tom Harrell: Common Practice

While breaking away from his long associated trio The Bad Plus, pianist Ethan Iverson keeps loyalty to the feel of his well known band as he leads a quartet with drummer Eric McPherson, bassist Ben Street and including all star trumpeter Tom Harrell. Iverson focuses mostly on standards here, except for the hip pulse of “Jed From Teaneck. While the songs may be well known, Iverson and company put some Silly Putty into the melodies and stretch them into various formations. “All The Things You Are” has Iverson in a Monkish bright mood, and he plods along with Harrell on “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You.” A painstakingly slow and deliberate “The Man I Love” has Harrell gasping through his valves, and Iverson creating late period Van Gogh spaces. The team is a bit more traditional with a straight-ahead “I Remember You” and a fun bopping take of “Wee.” The key thing here seems to be letting the leader’s mood set the tone. Luckily for us, he sounds like he had a spicy meal beforehand!

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