Search - Barry Harris :: Luminescence

Music That Has Stood The Test Of Time

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 01/13/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When Barry Harris' "Luminescence" was released in 1967 it must have sounded like old hack. In the post-Coltrane era of avant-garde modernism, classic hard bop stylings were outdated and certainly un-hip. But looking back from our perch at the beginning of the 21st century, whether it was cutting edge for 1967 or 1957 doesn't matter as much as whether the music has stood up over time. And Barry Harris' "Luminescence" has! This is not a great album mind you, but in the same way history has been kind to Hank Mobley (snubbed in the 60s as not cutting edge enough, but heralded today as a solid and creative musician, plain and simple), Barry Harris has composed and arranged a solid hard bop effort and assembled an excellent cast to perform it. The personnel is full of lesser known giants of jazz -- Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Junior Cook on tenor sax, Slide Hampton on trombone, Bob Cranshaw on bass and Lenny McBrowne on drums. "Luminescence" stands with another Barry Harris Prestige/OJC gem "At The Jazz Workshop" (see my review) as an excellent introduction to this unsung pianist."