Search - Stefon Harris, Jacky Terrasson :: Kindred

Stefon Harris is the best thing that could have happened to Jacky Terrasson, whose recent albums have suffered from post-phenom inertia. With his fleet, brimming attack on vibraphone and scalloped phrasing on marimba, Harris forces Terrasson to pick up his game at the piano. Kindred is full of sharp contrapuntal exchanges, bop-fueled runs and, on dramatically reworked versions of "Summertime" and "Body and Soul," harmonic adventure. Accompanied by bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Terreon Gully, the coleaders play leapfrog on a taut, time-shifting reading of Randy Weston's "Little Niles"--a perfect tune for Harris's boyish urgency. Their dashing take on Bud Powell's "John's Abbey" is equally good. Among the slower stuff, a melodically glowing but restrained reading of "Never Let Me Go" is especially affecting. Terrasson, who impetuously rode the influence of Ahmad Jamal early on, has been slow in developing his own voice, but with energized sessions like this, there's a good chance his progress will accelerate. --Lloyd Sachs