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Harold Mabern: Mabern Plays Mabern

By Mike Jurkovic
March 18, 2020
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A tad more subdued than the barn-burning The Iron Man: Live At Smoke (Smoke Sessions Records, 2019), Mabern Plays Mabern still manages to jump full throttle from where that defining recording left us, with a lush, lyrical intensity and a vital, legacy-culling energy which plays as an exquisite coda to the pianist's long, outstanding career.

Alive with the same stylist's intuition and unbridled spirit which found him cutting through the ranks with such contemporaries as

Charles Lloyd

saxophone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Lloyd and

Steve Coleman

saxophone, alto
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Coleman, and had him sitting on many notable sessions with, among others,

Lee Morgan

trumpet
1938 - 1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Lee Morgan,

Freddie Hubbard

trumpet
1938 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Freddie Hubbard,

Archie Shepp

saxophone, tenor
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Archie Shepp and

Sarah Vaughan

vocals
1924 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Sarah Vaughan, the 81-year-old gentleman bopper takes to the spotlight and the stage, and celebrates our common humanity joyously with a virile drive that will surely stun young lions half his age.

Riding rubato into his rollicking tribute to

J.J. Johnson

trombone
1924 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">J.J. Johnson, stalwart saxophonist

Eric Alexander

saxophone, tenor
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Alexander launches into the first of many flights of high-stakes frenzy as Mabern comps raucously behind him, buoyed by long-standing bassist

John Webber

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">John Webber and drummer

Joe Farnsworth

drums
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Farnsworth on high heat. The guest addition of trombonist

Steve Davis

trombone
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Davis gives the performance added zest, to the great delight of the Smoke audience.

Mabern and Alexander trade blows (and Farnsworth solos for all he is worth) on "The Lyrical Cole-Man" a fevered nod to Coleman, whom he remained close friends with till the end. 1968's "Rakin' and Scrapin" makes its second, though lengthier rock solid appearance in as many recordings. Mabern's big hands swing a lot like, well, the Mabern of '68. Webber and Farnsworth hold steady with a soulful groove as Alexander sails and wails along. "The Beehive" buzzes as Alexander and special guest

Vincent Herring

saxophone, alto
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Vincent Herring's winding alto sax leap and bound, play tag, and fuel each other's performance. A fitting farewell, indeed.

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Track Listing

Mr. Johnson; The Iron Man; Lover Man; The Lyrical Cole-Man; Edward Lee; It's Magic; The Beehive; Rakin' and Scrapin'.

Personnel

Harold Mabern

piano

Eric Alexander

saxophone, tenor

John Webber

bass, acoustic

Joe Farnsworth

drums

Steve Davis

trombone

Vincent Herring

saxophone, alto

Album information

Title: Mabern Plays Mabern | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Smoke Sessions Records

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