Time: 77:21
Size: 177.1 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Soul-jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front
[2:27] 1. Sweet Georgia Brown
[3:01] 2. Wonder Why
[3:38] 3. Since I Fell For You
[2:48] 4. 'deed I Do
[3:09] 5. It's Way Past Suppertime
[3:23] 6. Next Spring
[3:01] 7. But Not For Me
[5:13] 8. Django
[2:36] 9. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[2:26] 10. I Cried For You
[3:10] 11. On The Street Where You Live
[3:18] 12. Love Letters
[2:07] 13. Bye Bye Blackbird
[5:19] 14. Dorene Don't Cry, I .
[5:45] 15. Pretty Lady
[6:20] 16. I'll Take Romance
[5:35] 17. Stella By Starlight
[6:40] 18. On Green Dolphin Street
[7:17] 19. Little Girl Blue
This album, this one right here, exposes a fugitive. It flips the lid off Les McCann the piano player to reveal Les McCann the singer. The hidden man behind the man, the McCann behind the McCann. That in itself will be good news for previous McCann appreciators. (If some basketball players can rebuild 300 SL engines and some plumbers can reset broken bones, why shouldn't some piano players also sing?)
But do not think that McCann's vocal merit lies in the not-so-novel fact that he's also a fine jazz pianist. No. This singer stands on his own two feet. The fact is that he could (if absolutely necessary) sing with his hands tied behind him. Fortunately, strait jackets were ruled out of this recording session (wild though it may have been) and the piano you hear behind, above, below, around and in spite of the voice in these songs is being played by McCann.
As for variety of moods, you name it, you got it. McCann's a table hopper anyway. He jumps from frisk ("I Cried For You") to funk ("Sweet Georgia Brown"). Then he gets quiet ("Since I Fell For You") or all-out no-doubt down ("It's Way Past Suppertime"). And don't underestimate the steady but subtle ground floor built by Herbie Lewis' bass and Ron Jefferson's drums. Ochestrally they form the bottom but anyone with half an ear (even if it's atrophied, probably even if it's got a plug in it) can tell you that they're also the top. ~Vicki Arnold
But do not think that McCann's vocal merit lies in the not-so-novel fact that he's also a fine jazz pianist. No. This singer stands on his own two feet. The fact is that he could (if absolutely necessary) sing with his hands tied behind him. Fortunately, strait jackets were ruled out of this recording session (wild though it may have been) and the piano you hear behind, above, below, around and in spite of the voice in these songs is being played by McCann.
As for variety of moods, you name it, you got it. McCann's a table hopper anyway. He jumps from frisk ("I Cried For You") to funk ("Sweet Georgia Brown"). Then he gets quiet ("Since I Fell For You") or all-out no-doubt down ("It's Way Past Suppertime"). And don't underestimate the steady but subtle ground floor built by Herbie Lewis' bass and Ron Jefferson's drums. Ochestrally they form the bottom but anyone with half an ear (even if it's atrophied, probably even if it's got a plug in it) can tell you that they're also the top. ~Vicki Arnold
Les McCann Sings
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