Search - George Coleman :: Amsterdam After Dark

Big and mellow

Jacek Lazarczyk | Chicago, IL USA | 09/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"George Coleman is best known as a sideman. It was his performance on two of the most precious recordings in my collection, Miles Davis' "My Funny Valentine" and Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage", that made me seek more of his music. George is a big man and the sound he delivers from his sax is equally big yet very warm. I adore his solos on "Maiden Voyage"; he plays with time, he is dynamic then very subtle, simply beautiful.

"The Amsterdam after dark" is his best solo effort, I think. Maybe not as ambitious as "Manhattan Panorama" but much more pleasing. He is joined by three other American "expatriates" (it's recorded by a Dutch label), Billy Higgins among them, for 40 minutes of relaxed blowing of few originals and standards. It's a contemporary sounding hard-bob further relaxed by odd measures. This combo really is well meshed. I owned an LP, which I bought in the early 80s in Yugoslavia (of all places) and recently replaced it with a CD (I found an American issue)."

George Coleman + 3

Brian D. Fitzpatrick | Medford, MA | 12/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is vintage Coleman.And as Jacek mentioned in a review on the CD,Coleman has rarely had the oppurtunity to be the leader of a recording session.Hilton Ruiz,Sam Jones,and the 'sparklin' Billy Higgins spur George on.He plays his heart out on this set.Higgins is right on his game.Great CD."