Ronnell Bright is one of the most underrated jazz pianists of his generation. His classical background led him to approach the instrument with respect for its fullest potential, while much of his jazz apprenticeship was served with Chicago s Johnny Pate Trio. Bright s virtues include an exuberant beat and a supple, pliant conception at medium and up-tempos, with a subtle tenderness in ballads. His playing is full of technical ease, with an expressively pianistic touch, and he can create fascinatingly complete statements when he digs in. This compilation includes all his trio recordings. The opening track was recorded in his Chicago hometown with two local musicians. The second date, his first as a leader, was done shortly after the pianist hit the Big Apple in 1956, with bassist Leonard Gaskin and guitarist Kenny Burrell; they provided very capable support, with Burrell in particular soloing well. The following sessions were with Joe Benjamin and Bill Clark, who integrated with skill and taste into his New York trio. The rewarding last session, with Richard Davis and Art Morgan, took place in Paris while Bright s trio was accompanying Sarah Vaughan during the singer s European tour in 1958.
C**R
Five Stars Seller
Love it!! My Dad was a jazz guitarist on this album so I’m thrilled to add this set to my collection. It’s in excellent condition.
M**I
A bright spot in music
Sorry for the pun in the title. I stumbled across Bright after reading posts and interviews by one of my favorite writers - Marc Myers - who inspired me to search out more of Bright's work. I am glad I did. This is a set of three albums that features Bright during the mid-to-late 1950s. This two-disc set clocks in at 78:29 and 33:53 respectively.The sound samples on this page say it all with respect to the music. Fresh Sounds Records has worked their typical magic on remastering, which should assuage any concerns that you have about sound quality. You will not be disappointed!Here are the source albums and background information on the tracks:========DISC ONE========Track 1 is from an various artists compilation that was issued by the Epic label as After Hours Jazz. This track was recorded in Chicago on June 12, 1956 with Bright backed by Wilbur Wynne on guitar and Willard Nelson on drums.Tracks 2 through 9 are the album titled Brights Spot that was recorded for the Regent label at Rudy van Gelder's Hackensack, NJ studio on September 26, 1956. Bright is backed by Kenny Burrell on guitar and Leonard Gaskin on bass. This album was reissued by Savoy.Tracks 10 through 21 are the out-of-print album titled Bright Flight that was recorded for the Vanguard label during two sessions in NYC on March 2 and November 27, 1957. Bright is backed by Benjamin on bass and Bill Clark on drums.========DISC TWO========The entire disc is the album titled Ronnell Bright Trio , which was recorded in Paris, France for the Polydor label on June 5, 1958. Bright is backed by Richard Davis on bass and Art Morgan on drums.If you are new to Bright this is a perfect starting point. The only thing disappointing is the injustice of Bright not being better known because the music is exceptional and he certainly should be a household name. For some of the reasons why do a search of the web using the keywords Ronnell Bright and Marc Myers. You will be rewarded with a wealth of information and should be even more inspired to purchase this album!
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