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Kenny Barron: Peruvian Blue
Barron solos with grand passion on acoustic piano for the standard, "Here's That Rainy Day," then duets with recently-deceased guitarist Ted Dunbar on the stylistic "Blue Monk." He then shows off his well-known trio interplay style with bassist David Williams and drummer Albert Heath on the elegant Barron original "The Procession."
Finally, the leader switches to electric piano and adds percussionists Richard Landrum and Sonny Morgan for three of Barron's electric originals: "Peruvian Blue," "Two Areas" and the appealingly funky "In the Meantime." While the ten-minute "Peruvian Blue" is stifled by too much percussion and its Chick Corea / Return To Forever influence, "Two Areas" reveals Barron's compositional abilities, his nice touch on electric piano and, especially, Dunbar's electric sensitivity.
Peruvian Blue has much to offer casual jazz listeners and "Two Areas," "The Procession" and "Blue Monk," especially, provide required listening for fans of both Kenny Barron and Ted Dunbar.
But it would have been more satisfying to hear any one of these different groupings tackle the whole program, rather than having each get sectioned off for a performance or two. Still, Kenny Barron – who has recorded nearly dozen times as a leader since the early 80s – always makes music worth hearing. Peruvian Blue is no exception.
Personnel
Kenny Barron
pianoKenny Barron: piano, electric piano, clavinet; Ted Dunbar: guitar; David Williams: bass, electric bass; Richard Landrum: congas, percussion; Sonny Morgan: percussion; Albert Heath: drums.
Tracks:Peruvian Blue; Blue Monk; The Procession; Two Area; Here's That Rainy Day; In The Meantime.
Album information
Title: Peruvian Blue | Year Released: 1998 | Record Label: 32 Records
About Kenny Barron
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