Virginia Mayhew: No Walls

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

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

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Published: February 1, 2001

Lee Morgan blowing out of the bell of a Tenor saxophone.

this disc is what you would think Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers would sound like had that great musician not passed on. This is a progressive Hard Bop delight from Saxophonist Virginia Mayhew on her follow-up to Nini Green. The set opens with a jaunty original blues featuring an incandescent Mayhew and an almost subdued Ingrid Jensen (who catches fire later on John Coltrane's "Grand Central". The extraordinary Kenny Barron shines throughout, especially on the ballad "Never Enough" and his own "Mythology".

What highlights this excellent set is the interplay between BAND members as opposed to Mayhew wielding a strong hand as leader. She, instead, decides to allow everyone ample room to explore this unique collection of originals and standards all to a great effect.

Track Listing: Hi-Ya, Mama; Apple Flambe; The Visit We Missed; Never Enough; The Oracle; Grand Central; No Walls; Don't You Know I Care; Mythology. (Total Time: 52:42) .

Personnel: Virginia Mayhew: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones; Harvie Swartz: Bass; Allison Miller: Drums; Kenny Barron: Piano; Adam Cruz: Percussion; Ingrid Jensen: Trumpet and Flugelhorn.

Record Label: Foxhaven Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream