Grown Folk Bizness in Bloomington, MN

Unlike
Evans
' two previous
Criss Cross
efforts, this one contains no original compositions. It also showcases
almost entirely in a trio setting. After the first track, an intensive solo piano investigation of
Hoagy Carmichael
's
"Rockin' Chair,"
bassist
Rodney Whitaker
and drummer
Ralph Peterson
join
on several standards and pieces culled from post-bop repertoire.
Cedar Walton
"Firm Roots"
kicks off the trio portion with a burning intensity. Then
applies his talents to
"That Old Feeling,"
Richie Beirach
"Elm,"
the
Gerry Mulligan
-associated
"Bernie's Tune,"
and
's hard-swinging, open-ended
"Volition,"
one of the best tracks on the album.
Peterson
's brush work is particularly brilliant. His rapport with
Whitaker
is also remarkable, considering that this session was one of their very first mutual encounters.
The addition of
Ralph Bowen
's alto makes for an eventful reading of
Monk
"Rhythm-a-Ning,"
Sam Newsome
's highly original soprano work is indispensable on
Wayne Shorter
"Toy Tune."
For the finale, both horns (
Bowen
on tenor this time) join for
Eddie Allen
's grooving
"Route 80 East."
doesn't sound entirely comfortable with some of the music he chose to tackle (and he admits as much in the liner notes), but as a result, rather than hearing him coast and take it easy, you get to hear him stretch his improvisational prowess and musical intelligence to their limits. While
Grown Folk Bizness
doesn't add anything to
' catalog as a composer, it testifies eloquently to the state of his art at the time. ~ David R. Adler