Doida Demais (1989) [repost]

Trumpeter Jack Walrath's music by the mid-'80s tended to play off of the melodies of tunes and their moods rather than merely following chord changes and predictable patterns. Heading a sextet on this Blue Note CD that includes tenor saxophonist Carter Jefferson (who doubles on clarinet), guitarist John Abercrombie, pianist James Williams, bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Ronnie Burrage, Walrath performs such originals as the exciting "Village of the Darned," the somewhat scary "Fright Night," the impressionistic "England" and a remake of "Beer." Although somewhat overlooked, Jack Walrath is always well worth checking out for he avoids the obvious and his music is full of surprises.

Pianist George Shearing planned to revisit his roots in Dixieland and swing but he hedged his bets. Despite having an impressive septet with such players as cornetist Warren Vache, Ken Peplowski on tenor, trombonist George Masso and clarinetist Kenny Davern, Shearing wrote out most of the ensembles, taking away from the spontaneity and potential excitement of the music. Despite the interesting repertoire (ranging from "Truckin'," "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Jazz Me Blues" to "Take Five," "Desafinado" and even a Dixiefied "Lullaby Of Birdland"), this date falls far short of its potential.

Although often associated with the blues, only one of the ten selections on this quartet set by pianist Gene Harris (who is joined by guitarist Ron Eschete, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Jeff Hamilton) is technically a blues. On this excellent all-around showcase for the soulful pianist, Harris sounds in prime form exploring such tunes as "This Masquerade," "Don't Be That Way," Eddie Harris' "Listen Here," and "The Song Is Ended." Listen Here! gives listeners a pretty definitive look at Gene Harris' accessible and swinging style.

The Canadian duo Kon Kan (musician Barry Harris and vocalist Kevin Wynne) scored an out-of-nowhere smash in 1989 with the quirky single "I Beg Your Pardon." Incorporating a repetitive drum beat, a catchy keyboard line, Wynne's droll vocal delivery (somewhat similar to New Order's Bernard Sumner) and the ingenious sampling of Lynn Anderson's hit "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden," "I Beg Your Pardon" became a dancefloor staple and eventually crossed over to the pop charts where it hit the Top 20…