Search - Henry Butler :: For All Seasons

Another winner by Henry Butler that is inexplicably out of p

Nobody important | 06/19/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It is just plain disturbing that so many of Henry Butler's albums are out of print. There are precious few piano players who are anywhere near his league, and he can play it all. This album is straight-ahead post-bop in a standard trio setting (piano/bass/drums). The band is quite good-- Dave Holland on bass and Herman Jackson on drums, with Steve Turre putting in a guest appearance on one track. There aren't many hints of Butler's New Orleans blues and funk leanings here. He sticks pretty closely to conventional post-bop, but Butler can do it all, and there isn't a weak moment here. The sound brings to mind McCoy Tyner's early Impulse recordings, or perhaps Horace Tapscott's "Thoughts of Dar Es Salaam." The point, then, is that Henry Butler is one of the few modern jazz pianists who isn't a slave to the legacy of Bill Evans. Don't get me wrong, I love Bill Evans, but I also like players with a bit more fire in their souls, and Henry Butler certainly has that. If you like early McCoy Tyner Trio albums or the less avant-guarde recordings of Horace Tapscott, then buy this one now while you still can."