Customer Reviews

Alley Cats

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is my second purchase of this CD. One for the house and one for the auto. This is a live performance with 2 vocal numbers by Gene's daughter, Nikki. Very powerful singing from her, also emotional when you consider this was their last gig together (Gene passed away this February of kidney failure.)

Get this CD for the live jammin take of Listen Here. It grooves and makes folks ask who that is playing there. Gene, as always, is the man. It hurt to learn he was gone but he left us fabulous memories of his last performance at Jazz Alley.

We love this CD, and it is quickly becoming one of our favorites. It is upbeat, and fast-moving, without taking over our whole house the way some music does. It is very popular on the jazz program that we listen to also.

The music might be old, but still has power and ability to move you, that's what Gene Harris and his cats - "Alley Cats" deliver. Harris personal stamp issues directly from '40s glories of boogie-woogie from greats Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis, Earl "Fatha" Hines and of course the great Fats Waller. Gene demonstrates in genuine abundance, he is no imitation, but an original as this album declares.

Jazz lovers, if you like soulful, bluesy, swingin', hard-bopping, funky - which best describes the two-fisted jazz piano stylings of Harris, with real-groovin', rock-solid quartet which was captured live at Seattle's Jazz Alley...listen while they tear it up on this jam session of funky, soul-jazz and hard bop tunes.

All these hip-cats dig deep in gospel, blues, breezy latin and right-from-the-gut swing, leaving a broad jazz trail of music that moves you to no end...so you can't help but feel the groove!

Total Time: 68:06 on 10 Tracks...Concord Jazz 4859...(1999)

This a fine late album (1999) from Gene Harris thats well worth getting. From the opening track its clear what you are going to get: Driving, bluesy, gospel even funky Jazz that most of the time is just good time music that you can't help but love.

You can hear this in the crowd as well, since this is a live recording. On "Magic Lady" Harris controls his natural inclinations and starts with ballad like intro but after a minute or an infectious latin groove starts and we can get something a little different an almost bebop inspired solo from Harris, showing that he was a slightly more versatile musician than many give him credit for.

However its the next track "Blues March" which best somes up the album. Running to nearly eleven minutes all the musicians get a chance to stretch out with some truly inspired solos. This track defines "downhome" perfectly.

Amongst those playing with Harris on this album are:
Ernie Watts (alto & tenor sax), Red Holloway (tenor sax), Jack McDuff (Organ) and Frank Potenza (guitar).

My reason for only giving it 4 stars is because, sadly it is over-produced. Now I am quite picky about the production of records, but to me when this record starts it sounds like a pristine studio recording, but its not its live and they have given it the name "Alley Cats". The production neede to be a little bit more gritty in my view.

Aside from that irritation this is a really great live recording capturing Gene Harris still playing with great vigour near the end of his career. Have fun!

For this devotee of Gene Harris, "Alley Cats" represented an opportunity for some fresh material after a recent and understandable period of inactivity. Unfortunately, this effort is too much of too little. Yes, Niki is full-voiced and there are hints of Gene at his best, but this effort simply sags from the opening cut. Rather than spin off a live set of material, he would have served all of his fans by waiting to invest some inspired studio time.

This CD presents a live set by pianist Harris and his quartet (Frank Potenza, guitar; Luther Hughes, bass; Paul Kreibich, drums) augmented on some cuts by Red Holloway, tenor sax; Ernie Watts, alto sax; Brother Jack McDuff, organ; and Niki Harris (Gene's daughter), vocals. The music is soulful, funky at times, and always energetic. Harris is really solid on the piano, playing with both hands and really digging into the keyboard, and the rest of the group gets into the spirit of things, with only the drumming seeming sometimes rather routine. The highlight of the set is the Eddie Harris tune, "Listen Here," which the band has fun with for more than 11 minutes. This may not be a CD that you will want to play over and over, but if you like your jazz on the bluesy, soulful, tuneful side, you may enjoy this set as much as the audience in Seattle seemed to have enjoyed it when it was originally laid down. The recording is good for a live set.

Alley Cats is typical and funky Gene Harris. The upbeat piano master works the ivories as no one else can. His daughter Nikki delivers some nice vocal work, although I'd prefer to just listen to Gene play the piano. If you like Gene Harris, you should like Alley Cats.

Gene Harris has delivered again! Good Job!