Customer Reviews

Kenny Drew & Pal Joey

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This 1957 trio recording celebrates Broadway show tunes and bebop piano. Kenny Drew is one of the small group of bebop piano players from the Charlie Parker era. He also played for Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane.
He was one of many jazz expatriates who settled in Europe because he believed he could get more work and appreciation there than in America. Although not all stayed there, Kenny did. He even sired a piano master: his son Kenny Drew Jr., who I have heard in concert many times in the Tampa Bay Florida area, where Kenny Jr. settled.
Kenny Senior made this recording before he moved to Europe. It is a lovely example of piano trio jazz. To be truthful, one of the main reasons I obtained this recording was because of the other 2 members of the trio. Philly Joe Jones is among the greatest jazz drummers. Here he illustrates he greatness by toning down his volume, and being more of an accompanist for the group, than the dynamo he can be when he wants to be. Wilbur Ware is the other star member of the trio. Wilbur is unique. He is an unschooled bass player who plays a solid foundation without the virtuoso multiple note solos that you hear later from people like Gary Peacock and Scott LaFaro. But man, does he propel the group.
So you get swinging interpretations of classic songs such as "My Funny Valentine" and "I Could Write A Book." I especially enjoy their take on "I Didn't Know What Time It Was." You get a joyous reading of "The Lady Is A Tramp." Did you realize this many Great American Songs derived from this show from the team of Richard Rodgers and especially the troubled genius Lorenz Hart?
Enjoy!

Trio jazz piano hard bop from the 50s doesn't get much better than this. Kenny's command of the piano is amazing - comparable to Oscar Peterson.