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Genre: Jazz
Release Date: 08/12/2008
Harvie S and Kenny Barron were two of many jazz musicians who worked together in duo settings when Manhattan jazz clubs were unable to get cabaret licenses (which allowed them to book larger groups) back in the 1980s. This winter 1986 studio session, which was halted prematurely due to the pending arrival of a blizzard, lay forgotten for over two decades among many tapes in the bassist's collection until he ran across it and had it issued by Savant in the summer of 2008. The session took place without rehearsal, while the musicians are improvising from the start of each tune, rather than state the melody first. Harvie plays the lead in the whispering take of "Body and Soul," with Barron's soft, lush playing providing the perfect backdrop, while the bassist is also up front in the lighthearted take of "Isn't It Romantic?" Barron shines in the shimmering interpretation of Wayne Shorter's "Miyako." The bassist's "Take Your Time" is a hip, bluesy post-bop vehicle in a breezy setting. The final selection is an mesmerizing unaccompanied bass solo of "Chelsea Bridge," in which Harvie manages to explore at length without running out of ideas. Perhaps he should look closer at his tape collection to see what additional hidden gems need to be issued in the future. ~Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Average Review:  Number of reviews: 1
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A reviewer
from Manhattan, NY
Great CD
Phenomenal musicianship and improvisation by two fantastic jazz veterans produced an outing so simpatico, so delightful in nature; youd be hard pressed to find another venture as purely enjoyable. Now Was the Time, just released on High Note Records, is the result thereof.
In this 1986 outing, there was no rehearsing, they just went in, played mostly standards and worked out the arrangements on the spotno mixing, no fixing, as was stated in the liner notes. They recorded the album live on a 2-track early digital recording, (as analog was then the norm).
What is remarkable is that this diamond of a recording might have never seen the light of day. It was a year ago when Harvie S was sorting through some old cassettes and came across a tape labeled Harvie S and Kenny Barron. Listening to the tape, Harvie should-a-had a V-8, because he could not believe he ever tried to put out a recording of their session. As luck would have it, When you hear Harvie soloing the melodies on some of the best loved standards like Body and Soul, while Barron comps a supportive rhythm, its just all too good to be true. Filled with exciting energy and interplay, this is jazz at its very best. The give and take is all about the why-ness of jazz. No egos get in the way of its purity. The only problem is you want more and more, finding yourself replaying it over and over again to get your fill.
Now Was the Time is the kind of CD you will talk about with jazz friends years from now, remembering the encounter of magnificence and the stunning simplicity of it all. Its neither contrived nor staged...just honest jazz from a master duo. Straight-ahead, A+ and 5-stars all the way!
Suzi Price jazz review dot com
Release Date: 08/12/2008
Genre: jazz
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