Search - Chuck Redd :: Chuck Redd Remembers Barney Kessel: Happy All Time

Barney would be very pleased

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 08/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This tribute CD to Chuck's good friend and playing partner, guitarist Barney Kessel, who died in 2004, is an excellent CD. Chuck, who plays mainly vibes, though on two selections switches over to drums (what he usually played when he worked with Kessel), gigged and recorded with Barney (and Charlie Byrd) during the "Great Guitars" and Concord years, roughly the decade of the 1980s. All the tunes here are Kessel originals or tunes Redd associates with him.



The title tune is a dandy and is based on GET HAPPY. LAURA has an excellent arrangement and a good solo by pianist Monty Alexander. CRY ME A RIVER, taken as a slow ballad, as usual, has an intriguing introduction with a strong Coltrane feel to it. Howard Alden plays guitar, and he knows his Kessel well: ON A SLOW BOAT TO CHINA, LOVE IS HERE TO STAY, and SWEDISH PASTRY (Barney's best-known composition) all get very fine treatments by Howard. On 64 BARS ON WILSHIRE and LI'L DARLIN' Redd switches to drums and displays very fluid brushwork on both titles, but especially on 64 BARS. The 8x8 exchanges between Alden and Redd on this tune are very exciting. All in all, this is a most pleasurable CD: the tune selection is great and the musicianship high. I hope Chuck Redd puts out many more CDs featuring his excellent vibes work.

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