Gorgeous and essential
a listener | pacific northwest | 12/27/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Al Haig was one of the finest original players of bebop; an amazingly articulate and precise improvisor who makes each musical moment a gem. He'd been Charlie Parker's pianist-of-choice since the mid-1940s, played with all the usual 52nd Street suspects, and was also sought after by Stan Getz (who along w/ Parker called him their "favorite accompanist"). This session is just as superb in its own way as similar, definitive bop trio works by Bud Powell or Thelonious Monk from the late-'40s/early-'50s era.
French jazz pianist and record producer Henri Renaud was visiting New York in early 1954 and with the help of recordist Jerry Neumann in his 23rd Street loft, finished the first part of this session with the musicians on March 13th in less than an hour. They kept on playing after the first 8 songs were waxed, and recorded 13 more for a full two (10-inch vinyl) albums' worth of music in a day. (Track 22 on this compilation is from a session 2 years earlier in L.A.) The latter 13 tracks, which were done expressly for issue on Neumann's own Esoteric label, have been variously titled for release as the "Esoteric Trio" or "The Al Haig Trio" ... *Special note* - for what it's worth Richard Cook and Brian Morton had given these 13 tracks, as re-issued on Fresh Sound back in the 1990s as "The Al Haig Trio Esoteric", their coveted 'crown' (in addition to 4 stars) rating in The Penguin Guide To Jazz On CD: yes folks, we really are dealing with one of the most sublime post-WWII jazz recording sessions here ... and now all 21 tracks made that day are available on a single disc.
With the tune stack below featuring mostly gentler, balladic standards (including a few solo, sans trio) interspersed with up-tempo burn 'n' groovers, this CD would be a perfect introduction for any newcomer to jazz piano, or to jazz music in general. This recording also serves as an excellent and challenging object of study for aspiring pianists or musicians, especially those wishing to pursue jazz.
Some of the most profound and joyously accessible music, of any genre, one could ever hope to hear. And, one of those musical occasions where everything just clicks.
Since the product description neglects to list tracks, dates or personnel here they are:
1. Yardbird Suite (Charlie Parker) 3:06
2. Mighty Like A Rose (Nevin-Stanton) 4:48
3. Just One Of Those Things (Cole Porter) 3:56
4. Taboo (Ernesto Lecuona) 2:42
5. 'S Wonderful (Gershwin-Gershwin) 3:35
6. Just You, Just Me--Spotlite (Klages-Greer) 1:50
7. The Moon Is Yellow (Ahlert-Leslie) 2:45
8. 'Round About Midnight (Thelonious Monk) 5:19
9. Autumn In New York (Vernon Duke) 5:13
10. Isn't It Romantic (Rodgers-Hart) 3:35
11. They Can't Take That Away From Me (Gershwin-Gershwin) 2:49
12. Royal Garden Blues (Williams) 2:39
13. Don't Blame Me (Fields-McHugh) Piano solo 2:43
14. Moonlight In Vermont (Suessdorf-Blackburn) 3:39
15. If I Should Lose You (Rainger-Robin) 3:32
16. April In Paris (Duke-Harburg) Piano solo 2:13
17. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm (Kahn-Kaper-Jurmann) 2:17
18. Body And Soul (Green-Sour-Heyman-Eyton) 4:52
19. Gone With The Wind (Wrubel-Magidson) 2:57
20. My Old Flame (Johnston-Coslow) Piano solo 2:56
21. On The Alamo (Kahn-Jones) 3:34
Al Haig, piano; Bill Crow, bass (except 13, 16 & 20); Lee Abrams, drums (except 13, 16 & 20).
recorded in New York City, March 13, 1954.
*22. Taking A Chance On Love (Rodgers-Hart) 3:42
* bonus track: Al Haig, piano; Harry Babasin, bass; Larry Bunker, drums; recorded in Los Angeles, September 6, 1952."
