Customer Reviews

Honeybuns

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I picked this up via download, so I wasn't able to learn too much about the session that produced it. I did find a scan of the original back cover of the LP with Nat Hentoff's liner notes, but they were too blurry for me to read. (If any one has this album, I'd be grateful for a legible image posted here on the product page, just for my own education.) This is a Duke Pearson session for Atlantic from May of 1965, reissued on Koch records. Pearson (piano) is joined by 8 other players here, including Pepper Adams (baritone sax, clarinet), Johnny Coles (trumpet), George Coleman (tenor sax), James Spaulding (alto sax), Les Spann (flute), Bob Cranshaw (bass), Mickey Roker (drums), and Garnett Brown (trombone).

This is a fun little album, nothing terribly complex going on. Five of the six pieces were written by Pearson, the exception being "Our Love" (Larry Clinton, Buddy Bernier, & Robert Emmerich), a classically influenced number, in my mind the weakest point on the album. "Honeybuns" is the best piece on the album in my opinion, a soulful bop. "New Girl" and "Heavy Legs" are fun numbers as well. The musicians are all really good, and the songs are all decent, but not long enough for anyone really to stretch out too much. As soon as I found myself getting into something, the song would be over. A pleasant enough album to listen to, with some good grooves, but one I'm grateful I only spent six dollars on. Still a nice enough listening experience, but I wouldn't spend a ton of money to acquire it.

First let me preface my remarks with my admiration for Duke Pearson as a complete musician. He was an arranger, producer. big band leader. and of course sa fine leader and pianist. Down memory lane with the Batman- the first jazz albums I ever bought in the school bookstore in 1973 at Santa Barbara were the Blue Note lps of Duke, Stanley Turrentine, and Jack Wilson. I bought the Koch compact disc for 7.99 and I like it. It is easy to discern the difference between a Blue Note session and a Atlantic one. One track Heavy Legs is from the Blue Note album fronted by Johnny Coles LITTLE JOHNNY C. Another track New Girl was given the big band treatment by Duke's own Blue Note release INTRODUCING DUKE PEARSON'S BIG BAND. The tracks on this particular disc HONEYBUNS seems scaled down to a leisurely pace. Most of the same musicians were used on these albums . but on the Atlantic side some energy is missing. I hear it like a live club date with a slight alternate take feel. However I still like without any reservations whatsoever.

I am not trying to be funny or sarcastic but the ensemble sound is real Lovanoesque featherweight. George Coleman can't break through the Atlantic sound quality and Johnny Coles is worse than usual, if you know what I mean. Stick with the Blue Notes and DEDICATION! where Freddie Hubbard and Pepper Adams inspire each other to greater heights. There is a no name Trombonist in the sextet who drags out a couple of ballad features but it's allright. Get it cheap but get it. It's better than THE RIGHT TOUCH for my money.