Ed Reed: Born to Be Blue (2011)

C. MICHAEL BAILEY,

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

Recent articles (1,709 total)

Published: June 14, 2011

Track review of "Monk’s Dream"

Ed Reed joins fellow West Coasters Art Pepper Art Pepper
1925 - 1982
sax, alto and Frank Morgan Frank Morgan
1933 - 2007
sax, alto in returning to a critically acclaimed career previously derailed by substance abuse. After 40 years of scuffling, Reed cleaned up, became a chemical dependency treatment professional and began recording in earnest. Reed has released two recordings, Love Stories (Self Produced, 2007) and The Song is You (Blue Shorts Records, 2008), each well-received and now followed up by Born To Be Blue, featuring a youthful and upbeat take on Jon Hendricks Jon Hendricks
b.1921
vocal ' vocalese treatment of Thelonious Monk Thelonious Monk
1917 - 1982
piano 's "Monk's Dream."

Reed has a unique voice, not overtly powerful but nuanced and experienced. He navigates Hendricks' circuitous phrasing without unnecessary tonal alteration, singing with straight grace and confidence. Pianist Randy Porter Randy Porter
and tenor saxophonist Anton Schwartz Anton Schwartz
b.1967
sax, tenor turn in blazing solos, angular and curious in a hot sort of way. Reed reenters, cooling things off in the coda—the complete professional. This is refined vocal jazz that only a lifetime can produce.