When it comes to proselytizing the message of bebop, pianist Barry Harris is an institution unto himself. For well over a half century he has been preaching the gospel of Bird, Bud and Monk. This 1972 recording features bassist George Duvivier and drummer Leroy Williams, veterans of the Big Apple’s music wars who worked and recorded with most of the greats of the post-bop generation. The trio plays hand-in glove on 6 Harris compositions, two bop classics, and one standard. Vicissitudes is played with a med. swing in the classical bop tradition. Now and then has Harris at his lyrical best on his beautiful ballad. With funky piano and bass solos, Sweet Sewanee Blues demonstrates why bop and blues are such good bed-fellows. Harris proceeds to burn up the road through Indiana on Charlie Parker’s classic Donna Lee, with Williams riding a furious shotgun. Renaissance displays a somewhat darker tinge and an intriguingly hip melody. And So I Love You has an infectiously swinging medium tempo with some double-time forays. With a Grain of Salt spices up the proceedings with a touch of Bud Powell. Harris goes a cappella on Richard Rodger’s If I Loved You before rendering a heart-felt solo on this lovely ballad. Shaw ‘Nuff’s heart-racing up-tempo romp has Harris at his Powellian best in his homage to bop legends Parker and Gillespie. As keepers of the flame, Harris and co. highlight the beauty of bop.
