Harold Mabern
, a superior hard bop pianist, had a rare opportunity to perform a set of unaccompanied solos for this Sackville release. Recorded live from Toronto's Cafe des Copains and originally broadcast on the radio,
Mabern
performs six jazz standards (including
"Joy Spring,"
"Pent Up House" and
Wayne Shorter's
"House of Jade") and a pair of bluesy originals. Although
sounds most comfortable in a trio, he has always been enough of a two-handed player to play solo; he readily acknowledges the influences of
Phineas Newborn
and
Ahmad Jamal
. ~ Scott Yanow