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Tommy Flanagan / Jaki Byard: The Magic of 2

By Dan McClenaghan
March 19, 2013
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Tommy Flanagan / Jaki Byard: The Magic of 2

One of San Francisco's most famous jazz venues, Keystone Korner, closed in 1983. It was a favorite venue of the top jazz players of the day, and several landmark live albums by pianists

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans and

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner, and saxophonists

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

woodwinds
1935 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Rahsaan Roland Kirk and

Stan Getz

saxophone, tenor
1927 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Getz, resulted from shows taped inside its hallowed hall.

The Magic of 2 showcases the piano talents of

Tommy Flanagan

piano
1930 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Tommy Flanagan (1930-2001) and

" data-original-title="" title="">Jaki Byard (1922-1999), live at the Keystone Korner in 1982, mixing duets with solos from each of the players.

Flanagan, the more traditionally straight-ahead of the two, played on dozens of enduring albums, including saxophonist

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960), tenor sax titan

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus (Prestige, 1956), and alto sax man

Art Pepper

saxophone, alto
1925 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Pepper's Straight Life (Galaxy, 1980), as well as

Wes Montgomery

guitar
1923 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Wes Montgomery's The Incredible Guitar of Wes Montgomery (Riverside Records, 1960). Byard was a more exploratory player, with stints in the bands belonging to iconoclastic bassist

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus, the always out there reed/woodwind multi- instrumetalist

Eric Dolphy

woodwinds
1928 - 1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Dolphy, and saxophonist

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

woodwinds
1935 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

With their disparate histories and styles, this could seem like an unlikely and potentially ill-fitting pairing of talents. What holds it together—and indeed what makes for an exciting and truly inspired set—is their depth of knowledge of the jazz piano tradition, from ragtime and stride to bebop and swing, together with an unmistakable zest and joy for performing together before a live audience.

The duo opens with "Scrapple From the Apple," from the pen of alto saxophonist/bebop pioneer

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker, an ebullient seven-minute history lesson in jazz piano, swaggering through early twentieth century New York swing to the bawdy night life sparkle of New Orleans, making for a joyous jumble of its familiar melody. Byard and Flanagan trade solos on

Cole Porter

composer / conductor
1891 - 1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things," opening the tune with a measured and melancholy mood that, three minutes in, shifts into a higher, lighter-stepping gear—bright and buoyant, sassy.

Flanagan and Byard also take their turns going it solo. Flanagan sticks with tunes from the pen of

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington's partner in music,

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn: "Something to Live For," pensive and elegant in Flanagan's hands; a bright, strutting take on "All Day Long"; and the often-covered "Chelsea Bridge,'' here with a dark and wistful edge. Byard leans in a more modern direction, covering

Stevie Wonder

vocals
b.1950

" data-original-title="" title="">Stevie Wonder's lovely "Send OneYour Love," and serving up a rumbling, percussive take on flugelhornist

Chuck Mangione

flugelhorn
1940 - 2025

" data-original-title="" title="">Chuck Mangione's "Land of Make Believe."

The duo closes on a rollicking roll with trumpeter

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis' "The Theme," shooting crisp notes out of lush cascades flowing over a dense rhythm—two piano giants at the top of their game, having the time of their lives.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Introduction; Scrapple From the Apple; Just One of Those Things; Satin Doll; Something to Live For; Send One Your Love; Our Delight; All Day Long; Sunday; Chelsea Bridge; Land of Make Believe; the theme.

Personnel

Tommy Flanagan

piano

Tommy Flanagan: piano; Jaki Byard: piano.

Album information

Title: The Magic of 2 | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Resonance Records

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