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Alan Broadbent Trio: Like Minds
ByOn Like Minds, Broadbent leads a stalwart trio whose other members are bassist Harvie S and drummer Billy Mintz. And, yes, they are of "like minds." One of the perks of having as long and successful a career as Broadbent's is that a leader can choose the sidemen who best suit his musical style and philosophy. Such is the case here, as Harvie S and Mintz generously support Broadbent without once stepping on his toes or encroaching upon his space. A splendid triobut having said that, there are a large number of comparable ensembles on the scene today, and every one of them must rely on something special that sets them apart from the others.
On Like Minds, that something special includes Broadbent's perceptive choice of material. To amplify a quartet of too-seldom-heard standards, the trio performs luminous jazz originals by Hank Mobley, Sonny Rollins, Bud Powell and Charlie Parker, plus Broadbent's earnest anthem, "Prelude to Peace." Mobley's delightful "This I Dig of You" is a great way to open, while Parker's buoyant "Yardbird Suite" is equally spot-on as a closing number. The standards are "With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair," "Dance Only with Me," "Stairway to the Stars" and "This Is New." Rollins wrote the calypso-inspired "Airegin," Powell the shuffling "Blue Pearl," on which Harvie S and Mintz take the lead.
Of course, it is one thing to have excellent material, and quite another to play it well. Any problem there? None that is perceptible to the ear. Broadbent, in his mid-seventies, is playing as well as ever, while Harvie S and Mintz know how to make a rhythm section sparkle. In sum, this is a solid and pleasurable hour-long session by a trio of world-class jazz musicians.
Track Listing
This I Dig of You; Prelude to Peace; With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair; Dance Only with Me; Airegin; Stairway to the Stars; Blue Pearl; This Is New; Yardbird Suite.
Personnel
Album information
Title: Like Minds | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Savant Records
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