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Another great Harry Allen CD

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 05/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
Harry Allen has recorded so many great albums it just seems natural to add another one to the list. This one was cut in November 1996 and features, along with Harry, John Pizzarelli (g) Ray Kennedy (p) and Martin Pizzarelli (b). There are highlights galore on the CD. JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS starts off with Harry playing the verse slowly, then going into medium tempo for the chorus. It's a solid performance. LESTER LEAPS IN, TEA FOR TWO, and FOUR BROTHERS are all up-tempo barn burners, and Harry eats up the changes like a tornado in a lumber yard. On two tracks, MY FAVORITE THINGS, with it's sweeping 6/8 waltz tempo, and THE PEACOCKS, he sounds like the spitting image of Stan Getz, more so than I've ever heard him before (he's usually closer in sound to another Brother, Zoot Sims). They are both beautiful, lyrical cuts. Harry's own tune COOL MAN CHU is a tribute to Chu Berry, another bold-sounding tenorman from the 1930s. Ray Kennedy is a fine pianist and plays especially well on FLYING HOME. Harry and John P. play very well together, as usual. This is an excellent CD, one of Harry's best. But that's not saying much since all his albums, just about, are his best. Definitely worth checking out."

Close to Perfection

Dr. Jeffrey S. Fox | Boulder, Colorado | 12/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The short review is, BUY THIS CD.



Just about every song on this CD is done to perfection. Harry Allen is a tremendously talented saxaphone player with a fresh and yet classical approach to jazz. "Lester Leaps In" is intoxicating, and not just Allen, his backup smokes! Who'd think of "America" as a jazz standard but Allen touches it with his magic and it is delightful.

I love the sax and tend to lisen to the masters, Coltrane, Rollins, Bergonzi, Redman, etc. Harry Allen is uniquely Harry Allen and when you listen to him play you're bound to say "ahhhh...", and smile. I did."