Barry Harris: Magnificent!

Coming off a string of Riverside releases that tended to possess a nagging feeling of sameness, Harris was to fare much better with his series of Prestige recordings. He added horns for his first two efforts, Luminescence and Bull's Eye, a move that seemed to broaden his musical palette. Then in 1969 at the end of his tenure with the label, Harris would return to the trio format, but with a more mature outlook. While the hyperbole involved in the album's title may border a bit on overstatement, the newly-reissued Magnificent easily ranks among Harris's better and most realized trio dates.

There's much that is attractive about this set because even among the expected bop tunes like "Dexterity" and "Ah-Leu-Cha," we get such notable Harris originals as "You Sweet and Fancy Lady" (one of his best-known pieces), "Just Open Your Heart," and the Latin-tinged "Sun Dance." Ron Carter and drummer Leroy Williams form a well-oiled team with ample support and choice solo spots of their own. Although Harris continues to be a strong and committed performer, his Prestige period still holds special treasures of which Magnificent happily belongs.

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