Billy Harper

Black Saint

★★★★

I've been pretty burned out recently but here I am. Billy Harper and his quintet are a group I have not heard; none of these players at all, but they really seem to work well with each other. Yet I think my only issue is that Harper is so unrelenting on this recording, it's really hard to focus in on the other players while he's at the forefront. 

That being said, he's a talented and soulful player that is obviously influenced by Coltrane, the Coltrane during the transitional period. Harper doesn't really get quite that "out" there or anything but he definitely tests out the water in a professional and meaningful fashion. It's interesting to see the concept of each song becoming twice the length of the one previous, and each improving as well. Also quick side note, there's a cowbell on this? like what the hell this really is the 70's.  

Speaking of the 70's, this album is a great example of jazz that was made during the mid 70's to 80's that did NOT sound cheesy or "smooth". The Black Saint label was a great contributor to that, and this being the first release on the label makes a whole lot of sense. The first track on here sees Harper at his most safe, while he attempts to reach some Coltranesque sheets of sound. The small breaks he takes to repeat this theme with the group really reminds me of some Wayne Shorter song off the album Night Dreamer. I'm sure that's not the first place it was used either, seems to be pretty popular. "Croquet Ballet" is the one with the cowbell and even with that aspect it remains amazingly fresh and festive. But the longest and arguably most amazing song on this album is the lyrical and nostalgic "Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart". 

Harper on this track gets to his furthest reaches but doesn't push the boundaries on the genre, even if it's his own boundaries. While he may be a Coltrane clone in some ways, this track proves to me that he has his own voice, and he really takes control of it. It's so vibrant and powerful that you can really imagine him putting all of his energy on this track. There's a lot of jazz music from the 70's, that in my opinion, should be completely obliterated. This is most definitely not one of them. 

Favorite Song: Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart