Search - Donald Byrd :: Groovin for Nat

Duke's Date

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 09/02/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is indeed a grooving session at a nice price, but it's not what one might expect. Frankly I was hoping for a loose, spirited trumpet exchange (like Byrd's outings with Joe Gordon and Art Farmer) between the oft-recorded Donald Byrd and the under-recorded, under-rated Johnny Coles, who was said to be Gil Evans' favorite trumpet player next to Miles Davis. Byrd was the tasteful, lyrical, no-frills mainstream modernist while Coles was a highly original, often unpredictable and sportive voice.



On only two of the tunes do both Byrd and Coles have solo time, and even then their contributions are limited by the carefully crafted arrangements and attention to the ensemble sound.



In sum, this session belongs to Duke Pearson, who has "Angel Eyes," "Out of This World," and even the title tune all to himself in addition to prominent, extended solo time on the remaining tracks. Good if not spirited boppish piano but somewhat disappointing because it comes at the expense of what could have been a highly engaging conversation between the two stellar trumpets."