Mr. Lucky: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr.
| Mr. Lucky: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. | ||||
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| Harold Mabern's studio album | ||||
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Publication |
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| Label (s) | HighNote Records | |||
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Format (s) |
CD |
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Title (number) |
9 |
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running time |
54:17 |
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Harold Mabern, Don Sickler |
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Studio (s) |
Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey |
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Mr Lucky - A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. is a jazz album by pianist Harold Mabern . The recordings were made on May 10, 2012 in Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs and were released on HighNote Records that same year .
background
The song material that Mabern processed belonged (with two exceptions) to the stage repertoire of the entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. , a mix of songs that consisted of musicals , films and Davis' single hits. Mabern's original composition "Soft Shoe Trainin 'with Sammy" and Henry Mancini's "Mr. Lucky ”, the title track from the CBS television series of the same name by Blake Edwards (1959). Most of the tracks were played by Harold Mabern with tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander , bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth . "Hey There" is a solo performance by Mabern, "What Kind of Fool Am I" was again made in a trio without Alexander.
Track list
- Harold Mabern: Mr. Lucky (HighNote HCD 7237)
- The People Tree ( Leslie Bricusse , Anthony Newley ) - 5:26
- As Long as She Needs Me ( Lionel Bart ) - 5:43
- Soft Shoe Trainin 'with Sammy (Harold Mabern) - 5:47
- Hey There ( Jerry Ross , Richard Adler ) - 5:05
- I've Gotta Be Me ( Walter Marks ) - 7:54
- Mr. Lucky ( Henry Mancini ) - 5:21
- What Kind of Fool Am I? (Bricusse, Newley) - 4:31
- Night Song ( Charles Strouse , Lee Adams ) - 7:45
- Something's Gotta Give ( Johnny Mercer ) - 6:42
reception
Britt Robson ( JazzTimes ) said, “This radiant homage oozes with the innocent recklessness of that Rat Pack era of the 1950s and 1960s, when Davis faded with Sinatra and Dean Martin in Vegas and Mabern, now 76, was there. to grow up. "The two main soloists Mabern and the tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander are, according to the author," masters of underestimated craftsmanship. Her stylistic conservatism camouflages her creative refinement of the blues and hard-bop idioms ”. In the relatively iconic “I've Gotta Be Me,” “both Mabern and Farnsworth would burst out of the gate with joyous energy as Alexander gradually builds the kind of enthusiasm the song's creed implies over the course of three solos. Mabern is also enthusiastic - his right hand trills, a touch of New Orleans dances on his Memphis-Funk-Soul-Blues-Bop- Amalgam in "As Long as She Needs Me" and the finger-snap title track ". Without Alexander, Mabern let his ballad play in "What Kind of Fool am I?" Breathe, a dark interlude that supposedly reminds of how segregation and racial sell-off allegations tarnished some of Sammy Davis Jr.'s reputation.
Jack Bowers ( All About Jazz ) wrote, Mabern and his band gave Davis their reference and played with warmth, strength and skill throughout. Alexander gives every movement an aura of integrity, while Webber and Farnsworth flawlessly keep the beat and give the soloists on the front line every support. Mabern is by no means overshadowed by his secondary cast, but has more than a few melodic and harmonic tricks up his sleeve, which repeatedly show that at 76 he is by no means ready to give the younger generation advantages. “The fingers are as flexible as ever, the musical warehouse doesn't seem to have changed over time. Even when entrusting enough solo space to Alexander, Mabern never wavers when it is his turn to shine, swinging freely and happily through each number and confirming the assumption that Sammy Davis Jr. might have been lucky enough to have admirers like To have Mabern and Alexander. "
Greg Simmons, who also reviewed the album on All About Jazz , found Mr. Lucky disappointing; "Admittedly, Davis, with his frothy show melodies and his melodious voice, didn't compete with Billie Holiday for emotional depth." Part of the blame certainly goes to Eric Alexander, who dutifully reproduces the melody at the beginning of almost all pieces. Alexander is never a particularly emotional player - he's more of a cool bop technician and a solid player. On the two tracks on which Alexander skipped - "Hey There" and "What Kind of Fool Am I" - Mabern penetrated a little deeper into the material and delivered excellent performances. The sound quality recorded in the Van Gelder Studio is first class. This is a really talented band that is able to do a lot more than what was played here. "Put this on during a dinner party," the author summarizes, "it's lively and it won't offend anyone, but it doesn't say anything either."
Ken Dryden gave the album four (out of 5) stars in Allmusic ; in his view, this release conveys the joy of Davis on stage, even without the vocals. Mabern's "Soft Shoe Trainin 'with Sammy" is a perfect fit for the late entertainer, a happy dance number with the pianist who imitates Davis' accomplished dance. Alexander's tenor, modeled on the singing voice, is the heart of the driving interpretation of "Night Song". Mabern's touching piano solo from “Hey There” is elegant and romantic, according to the author; At this point it is "easy to imagine that an approving Davis stands by his side and sings with him." The subtle interpretation of the rhythm section of "What Kind of Fool Am I?" leaves a lot of space, with Mabern's shimmering piano being flawless from his bandmates will be supported.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mr. Lucky: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- ^ Henry Mancini - Music from Mr. Lucky at Discogs
- ↑ Britt Robson: Harold Mabern: Mr. Lucky: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. JazzTimes, January 24, 2013, accessed October 5, 2019 .
- ↑ Jack Bowers: Harold Mabern: Mr. Lucky. All About Jazz, December 21, 2012, accessed October 5, 2019 .
- ^ Greg Simmons: Harold Mabern: Mr. Lucky. All About Jazz, May 6, 2019, accessed October 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Review of Ken Dryden's album at Allmusic (English). Retrieved October 5, 2019.