Search - Lucky Thompson :: Tea Time

Running out the string

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 11/22/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I was looking forward to acquiring this collection of two late recording sessions by Lucky Thompson, a reissue of material recorded in 1972-73. Indeed, Lucky is in excellent form on both sessions, the final two recordings of his career. And the two rhythm sections are state of the art (Cedar Walton alternating with bass/drum tandems of Larry Ridley/Billy Higgins and Sam Jones/Louis Hayes). As far as the music goes, there are only a couple of downsides: Lucky's "Then Soul Walked In" (a repetitious, tiresome "period piece") and Cedar Walton's decision, on most of the tracks, to go with the Fender Rhodes electric piano (another period piece).



Even so, this bargain-priced package from Laserlight (or is it originally a Laserlight release later reissued by Delta?) would be worth the price were it not for the abysmal transfer of the vinyl original to CD. The sound is distorted throughout, erecting impenetrable barriers to the appreciation of Lucky's normally light yet inviting and fulsome sound on tenor and soprano saxes.



After these recordings Lucky would mysteriously vanish, all but silent until his death in 2005. It's said that he was simply disillusioned with the whole music scene. After listening to this sorry misrepresentation of his talents, i can understand why."