Ray Bryant - Here's Ray Bryant

Boomp3.com
Boomp3.com

RAY BRYANT
Here's Ray Bryant
1976

91.8 MB
256+ VBR LAME mp3
Vinyl rip & scans from Pablo 2310-764


Well, friends there's not much time to scribble as the moving van is coming in a couple hours and I need to make sure there's some posts for the week in case things go all pear-shaped in the relocation. I've already been told that it'll three days before the new place will get hooked up with any telco service so forgive me if I haven't been prompt on posting and responding to comments. For now, here's a sweet little album by pianist Ray Bryant with the highlight being a chance to hear this rhythm section in such an intimate and yet jovial environment.


AMG Bio by Scott Yanow
Although he could always play bop, Ray Bryant's playing combines together older elements (including blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, and even stride) into a distinctive, soulful, and swinging style; no one plays "After Hours" quite like him.

The younger brother of bassist Tommy Bryant and the uncle of Kevin and Robin Eubanks (his sister is their mother), Bryant started his career playing with Tiny Grimes in the late '40s. He became the house pianist at the Blue Note in Philadelphia in 1953, where he backed classic jazz greats (including Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Lester Young) and made important contacts. He accompanied Carmen McRae (1956-1957), recorded with Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival (taking a brilliant solo on an exciting version of "I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me"), and played with Jo Jones' trio (1958).

Bryant settled in New York in 1959; played with Sonny Rollins, Charlie Shavers, and Curtis Fuller; and soon had his own trio. He had a few funky commercial hits (including "Little Susie" and "Cubano Chant") which kept him working for decades. Bryant recorded often throughout his career (most notably for Epic, Prestige, Columbia, Sue, Cadet, Atlantic, Pablo, and Emarcy), and even his dates on electric piano in the '70s are generally rewarding. However, Ray Bryant is heard at his best when playing the blues on unaccompanied acoustic piano.


AMG Review by Scott Yanow
Pianist Ray Bryant teams up with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Grady Tate for a set of soulful and bluesy interpretations of five standards and three originals. Oddly enough there are no 12-bar blues on this date (a Pablo session reissued on CD in the OJC series) but Bryant infuses such songs as "Girl Talk," "Good Morning Heartache" and "Li'l Darlin'" with plenty of blues feeling anyway. A relaxed outing, not essential but enjoyable.


Ray Bryant - Piano
George Duvivier - Bass
Grady Tate - Drums


1 Girl Talk
2 Good Morning Heartache
3 Manteca
4 When Sunny Gets Blue
5 Hold Back Mon
6 Li'l Darlin'
7 Cold Turkey
8 Prayer Song


Ray Bryant's HERE and HERE.