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P. J. Perry Featuring Bill Mays: This Quiet Room
ByThat point of view is borne out in the unconventional opener, Bud Powell's light-hearted "Parisian Thoroughfare," on which Perry and Mays show that bop-based chord changes and a lively tempo pose no problem whatsoever. Also, that soloing in that milieu is akin to second nature for both of them. Having proven the point, tempos modulate for the most part to even-tempered with two notable exceptions: Charlie Parker's lyrical "Laird Baird" and Brooks Bowman's well-traveled standard, "East of the Sun," each of which delivers some heat. Mays' solo piano is heard on the first half of the album's lone medley, which consists of Jerome Kern's "The Folks Who Live on the Hill" and Henry Mancini's "Two for the Road."
The duo also survey Rodgers and Hart's "There's a Small Hotel" (played in waltz time), the venerable standard "Alice Blue Gown," Canadian Bernie Senensky's quiescent ballad "In My Life" (vaguely reminiscent of Ennio Morricone's memorable theme from the film Cinema Paradiso) and Nelson Cavaquinho's seductive samba, "Beija Flor," before closing with Michel Legrand's aptly named "This Quiet Room." Throughout, Perry and Mays complement each other impeccably while exemplifying a high level of awareness and musicianship. That is of course essential, as theirs are the only voices heard. As twosomes go, Perry and Mays set the bar high and make sure it never wavers.
Track Listing
Parisian Thoroughfare; In My Life; Laird Baird; Medley (The Folks Who Live on the Hill / Two for the Road); Alice Blue Gown; There’s a Small Hotel; Beija Flor; East of the Sun; This Quiet Room.
Personnel
P.J. Perry: alto saxophone; Bill Mays: piano.
Album information
Title: This Quiet Room | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Cellar Records
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