Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in February 1978 and issued on the CTI label in 1978, Big Blues finds flugelhornist Art Farmer and guitarist Jim Hall pairing up for one of their first sessions together since their collaborations in the mid-60s and they literally don’t miss a beat. The unique quintet project is rounded out by Mike Mainieri (vibraphone), Michael Moore (bass) and Steve Gadd (drums) and the results are as relaxed as they are lyrical.
The rich 4-track affair opens with a textured take on Benny Golson’s “Whisper Not” and then waltzes through Thad Jones’ “A Child Is Born” before running down Jim Hall’s own cool/bop title cut “Big Blues” and concluding with a first-rate jazz adaptation of Maurice Ravel’s classical standard “Pavane For A Dead Princess.”
Flügelhornist Art Farmer and guitarist Jim Hall had a regular group for a time in the mid-’60s but (with one exception) didn’t play together again until this 1978 LP. It’s an unusual effort for CTI in that it is a quintet set without added horns, strings, or keyboards. Farmer and Hall are joined by vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, bassist Michael Moore, and drummer Steve Gadd for two standards, the title cut, and a jazz adaptation of a piece by Ravel. Since Farmer and Hall have long had very complementary styles (both being lyrical, harmonically advanced, and thoughtful in their improvisations), it is little surprise that this set is a complete success. -AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Whisper Not 8:45
2 A Child Is Born 7:39
3 Big Blues 7:25
4 Pavane For A Dead Princess 10:53
Personnel:
Art Farmer, flugelhorn
Jim Hall, guitar
Michael Moore, bass
Steve Gadd, drums
Mike Mainieri, vibraphone
David Matthews, arranger
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