Kieran Laveaux

Let’s unpack the term ‘lullaby’ for a sec. It’s an act of song used solely to soothe a person into rest or slumber. Lullabies are meant to be sung in a confidential caring space, away from prying eyes, contrary to the widescreen pop song, which is music that usually functions as a great connector for a mass audience. Mélissa Laveaux’s new album Mama forgot her name was Miracle explores these seemingly disparate musical directives in a bold, celebratory way…

Pianist Harold Mabern and bassist Kieran Overs, although from Memphis and Canada, respectively, explore ten songs written by jazz musicians from Philadelphia on this CD, plus Mabern's "Edward Lee." While a few of the tunes are fairly well known in jazz (particularly Lee Morgan's "Ceora" and Benny Golson's "Whisper Not"), most of the others are obscure. Mabern and Overs work quite well together, with the bassist adding stimulating lines to the pianist's solos and having some good solo spots himself. Since Mabern, whose modern chord voicings are fresh and personal while influenced a bit by McCoy Tyner, has not recorded enough during his long career, this set is a valuable addition to his discography. A special highlight is his unaccompanied version of Cal Massey's "The Cry of My People."