Blue and White in Bloomington, MN

Doug Raney
has recorded extensively for
Steeplechase
since his debut as a leader in 1977. On this 1984 session, the cool-toned guitarist is accompanied by pianist
Ben Besiakov
, bassist
Jesper Lundgaard
, and drummer
Aage Tanggaard
, sounding reminiscent of his father, the late
Jimmy Raney
. The leader is the primary soloist throughout most of the date, offering lyrical takes of
standards
like
"I Love You"
and
"Old Folks."
His intricate interpretation of
Jimmy Heath
's
"Gingerbread Boy"
John Coltrane
"Straight Street"
also has extensively feature
Besiakov
to good effect. Because
has recorded almost exclusively for European labels, he isn't as well known in his homeland, but his CDs are well worth exploring. ~ Ken Dryden