Afro Blue - 10th Anniversary Edition (Remixed & Remastered) Harold Mabern

• 1 The Chief (2025 Edition) 05:11
• 2 Afro Blue (2025 Edition) 05:28
• 3 The Man from Hyde Park (2025 Edition) 05:54
• 4 Fools Rush In (2025 Edition) 04:38
• 5 Don't Misunderstand (2025 Edition) 04:25
• 6 I'll Take Romance (2025 Edition) 03:53
• 7 My One and Only Love (2025 Edition) 05:42
• 8 Billie's Bounce (2025 Edition) 04:26
• 9 Portrait of Jennie (2025 Edition) 05:43
• 10 You Needed Me (2025 Edition) 04:06
• 11 Such Is Life (2025 Edition) 05:10
• 12 Do It Again (2025 Edition) 05:20
• 13 Mozzin' (2025 Edition) 05:52
• 14 Bobby, Benny, Jymie, Lee, Bu (2025 Edition) 04:31
• Total Runtime 01:10:19

Info zu Afro Blue - 10th Anniversary Edition (Remixed & Remastered)

On what would’ve been Harold Mabern’s 90th birthday on March 20th, SMOKE celebrates the release of a newly remixed and remastered 10th anniversary edition of Afro Blue.

Harold Mabern's second release on Smoke Sessions Records, Afro Blue, is a very special recording featuring guest vocalists Gregory Porter, Norah Jones, Jane Monheit, Kurt Elling, and Alexis Cole. The chemistry of these artists with Harold-the sound of his piano voicings combined with their voices-is extraordinary. Well-known in jazz circles as a consummate accompanist for instrumental soloists,

The Mabe also has a special gift for sensitive and supportive playing behind singers. It's something he takes pride in and has been doing since he first hit the stage at Birdland half a century ago with Betty Carter. "I love vocalists. I love to play for singers because that's really how you learn how to play the piano jazz-wise. They go through every aspect of music — changing keys, slow tempos to fast, playing rubato, playing verses, all of the Great American Songbook— that's really how you learn how to play," says Mabern. There is a lot of music and there are a lot of memorable performances on Afro Blue but Mabern's soulful, blues — driven style is the constant highlight.

He is joined by a stellar supporting cast-Jeremy Pelt, Eric Alexander and Steve Turre form a killer horn section while John Webber and Joe Farnsworth complete his reliable rhythm team. Guitarist Peter Bernstein also makes a special appearance on Steely Dan's "Do It Again." Mabern adds, I'll tell you, it was really the most difficult thing I've ever done. It was definitely a challenge, but I think we pulled it off. I'm quite pleased with it, you know."

Harold Mabern, piano
John Webber, bass (tracks 1–4, 6–14)
Joe Farnsworth, drums (tracks 1–4, 6–14)
Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone (tracks 1–4, 6–11)
Jeremy Pelt, trumpet (tracks 2, 4, 6, 11)
Steve Turre, trombone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 11)
Peter Bernstein, guitar (track 12)
Gregory Porter, vocals (tracks 2, 3)
Norah Jones, vocals (tracks 4, 5)
Jane Monheit, vocals (tracks 6, 7)
Kurt Elling, vocals (tracks 8–10)
Alexis Cole, vocals (track 11)

Digitally remastered

Harold Mabern
one of jazz’s most enduring and dazzlingly skilled pianists, was born in Memphis, a city that produced saxophonists George Coleman and Charles Lloyd, pianist Phineas Newborn Jr. and trumpeter Booker Little. He was an unsung hero of the 1960s hardbop scene, performing and recording with many of its finest artists, and only in recent years has he begun to garner appreciation for his long-running legacy in jazz and the understated power of his talent; as critic Gary Giddins has written, “With the wind at his back, he can sound like an ocean roar.”

During his over half-century on the scene as sideman and leader, he has played and recorded with such greats as Lee Morgan, Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, Freddie Hubbard and Miles Davis, just to name a few. “I was never concerned with being a leader, I just always wanted to be the best sideman I could be. Be in the background so you can shine through.”

Mabern explains a little about his background and its influence on his music – “There were some fine jazz musicians in Memphis, like Phineas Newborn, Jr., who I’ve always said was a musical genius. But if you wanted to make a living as a jazz musician in Memphis, you were also forced to play rhythm and blues music. At the time, we all thought it was taking away from our time with jazz. But now I realize what a joy it was. It takes a special kind of feel that all great improvisers like Charlie Parker and Clifford Brown understood. In fact, I think of myself as a bluespianist who understands jazz.” “Every day, even when I’m not practicing, I’m thinking about music. Most of the songs I’ve ever written are away from the piano while I’m walking down the street humming and whistling.”

The music was challenging. He’d just start playing. He’d say “Mabern, play this with me.” Now, if he had a specific thing he wanted me to play, like say maybe he wanted me to play a figure with him in unison, ok, and I’d pick it right up because of the fact that I’m self taught, always had to use my ears anyway… Then there’d be times when he’d say, “Mabern, you play this with me,” and it might be the harmony part to what he’s playing…whatever way, it was always a challenge. He always said, “Mabern, you’re a bad cat.” And I’d say, “Oh, I’m just trying to keep up with you.”

Between 1968-70, Mabern led four albums for Prestige, the first being A Few Miles From Memphis with a lineup that featured two saxophonists, one of them fellow Memphis native George Coleman. As the 1970s began, Harold Mabern became a key member of Lee Morgan’s working group and appeared on several live and studio recordings made by the trumpeter before his death in 1972.

In 1971, he played on Stanley Turrentine’s The Sugar Man and Don’t Mess With Mr. T. album in 1973. In 1972 he recorded with Stanley Cowell’s Piano Choir.

In more recent years, he has toured and recorded extensively with his former William Paterson University student, the tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. To date, Mabern and Alexander have appeared on over twenty CDs together. A longtime faculty member at William Paterson University since 1981, Mabern is also a frequent instructor at the Stanford Jazz Workshop.

Harold Mabern has recorded as a leader for DIW/Columbia and Sackville and toured with the Contemporary Piano Ensemble (1993-1995).

Dieses Album enthält kein Booklet