2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Elegant Main Stream Jazz, February 7, 2009
This review is from: Live at Maybeck 35 (Audio CD)
The list of people that pianist George Cables has played with, reads like a "Who's Who in Mainstream Jazz:" Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper.... With a pedigree like this, you KNOW the guy can PLAY. What this list doesn't tell you, is whether Mr Cables can hold down a solo date? One listen to this album and you know the answer to that question is "Yes."
For lovers of solo jazz piano, Concord Records' series of more than 40 albums recorded "... Live at Maybeck Recital Hall," is about as good as it gets. Talk about serindipity. Carl Jefferson, Concord's founder, had a top notch field recording crew; the Hall, owned in those days by bop pianist Dick Whittington, is a small, redwood-paneled performance space with almost perfect acoustics; and between Messurs Jefferson and Whittington, they knew almost everybody playing "piano jazz" in the '90's. The result is a series of records that are always good and sometimes are just flat out wonderful. Mr Cable's album, which I'd place in the "good" category, is the 35th in the series.
George Cables is a highly skilled, technically accomplished hard bop pianist. His Maybeck outing includes a couple of original tunes, (Mr Cables is no slouch in the song writing department), and eight standards. The high-point is more than 18 minutes of Gershwin, "Bess, You is My Woman Now/My Man's Gone Now/Someone to Watch Over Me." You'll hear echos of Art Tatum and Bill Evans, but Mr Cables is largely his own man. If you are familiar with the standards repertoire, I doubt that this album will provide you with any new insights - but there's nothing wrong with spending an hour with old friends. If you like straight ahead, main stream jazz played with a touch of elegance, this record is for you.
The "sonics" are excellent: Clear and warm - the piano is front and center.
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