A fine effort but...............
C. Katz | Peoples Republic Of Massachussettes | 05/28/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I just did a review of Williamson's "Cleopatra's Dream" and mentioned this was not my one of my favorite Williamson CD's.But in anybody else's catalog i would be a proud achievement.But Williamson is not just any pianist.He is one of the greatest Bud Powell acolytes ever.And I may have been thinking of " South Of The Border" as being a lightly lesser effort than "Cleopatra's Dream","La Fiesta","Hallucinations","Claude Reigns" and other recent 80's/90's efforts by Williamson (especially the killer quintet Sonny Clark Tribute "Blue Minor" with trumpeter James Zollar and sax man Skip Thomas" even though trio is Williamson's forte).But this is a nice CD with Andy Simpson on bass and Al "Tootie" Heath on drums.I like the song slection from "My Romance","Alone Together",a nice "Song For My Father","Lover Man","Work Song","Easy Living" and "Feelin' Fine".All players are competent.But it seems as though that even though their are tempo changes overall it is bit laconic and has a bit more in the way of frills than some of the other sessions mentioned.Don't get me wrong it's a great CD it's just that it's measured by some of other titles which seem to dig a bit more or just have more profundity to them.So I recommend this CD but would say try o get some others mentioned before this and "South Of The Border".Still most pianist who want to emulate the bop idiom would kill to have produced this CD and been proud of it.But say it as you become a completest and your a bop piano fan after few titles you'll want every tile of Claude Williamson you can find.
Cheers
Chazz"
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1