Following the highly successful duo series by Archie Shepp (with Horace Parlan SCCD 31079 “Goin’ Home”, SCCD 31139 “Trouble In Mind” and with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen SCCD 31149 “Looking At Bird”), here with Holland’s leading keyboard player Jasper Van’t Hof the great saxophonist mesmerised the audience with his electrifying performance. 180g Audiophile Vinyl
NHØP is undoubtedly the most widely recorded and most highly regarded jazz bassist today. This is his second leader album recorded in New York while he was touring with Oscar Peterson. NHØP selected the very best of sidemen from the New York scene to make this
“supremely musical album which will afford a lot of listening pleasure to a lot of people.” (Mike Hennessay)
Catalan pianist Vincente Tete Montoliu (b. March 28, 1933 in Barcelona) “swings like no other pianist in Europe”, once remarked Ben Webster.
Jazz Journal confirmed Ben’s opinion in reviewing this album, “...he could blow most contemporary pianists into the ground technically...”.
And Radio Free Jazz of USA (the predecessor of JazzTimes) concluded,
“...This is the best piano record in many years and one that will certainly rank with the best of any era.”
“El Grand Señior from Catalonia” was the way Dexter Gordon used to introduce Tete Montoliu to the audience at Club Montmartre in the 60s. Vincente Montoliu Massana, better known as Tete Montoliu (1933-1997) was born blind and learned to play piano at age 7 by Braille method. He studied music at the Conservatori Superior de Música de Barcelona (1946-1953). His remarkable international career took off in 1956 when Lionel Hampton invited him for his big band and since then Tete played all over the world with host of jazz luminaries.
“Listen to the superb interaction between a man and his piano in the utmost sublimity... Montoliu shares the same pulse, sincerity, talent with his illustrious predecessors Art Tatum and Earl Hines...” (Pierre Steve, The Lion on SCS 1216)
“Like the previously released album from the same session – “That’s All” (SCS1199) this Spanish pianist shows his grandiose and virtuoso side…” (Erik Wiedemann – Information on SCS 1216)
Pianist Joe Bonner (1948 – 2014) was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina where Thelonious Monk was born about three decades earlier and left strong influence on the young pianist. An impressive modernist Joe Bonner performed in and around Denver, Colorado towards the end of his life and became a legendary figure. He spent considerable time in Denmark during the 80s. This album from Copenhagen in March 1987 is a studio recording with another American expatriate Bob Rockwell on tenor.
"...The Lost Melody is a good group session, marked by strong charts ...." (The Penguin Guide to JAZZ)
"... one cannot but admire the fluency and precision, the dexterous right hand...the diversity in his play is a mark of a great pianist..." (Jean-Paul Ricard, Diapason)
