Great Jazz Albums (IMO) #35

The Great Jazz Trio, Someday My Prince Will Come (2004).  I admit I was originally drawn to this album by the cover photo of what I believe is Fenway Park.  Turns out to be a wonderful album that breathes new life into some classic old tunes.  The Great Jazz Trio underwent several changes in personnel since its initial performances in the mid-1970s, when pianist Hank Jones teamed up with Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums for a gig at the Village Vanguard in New York.  The one mainstay has been Hank Jones, and on this 2004 date he is joined by his brother Elvin Jones on drums (for their last recording session together before Elvin's death) and Richard Davis on bass.  (Last week's post was about the third Jones brother, Thad Jones.)  As one critic put it: "the Jones brothers make sparks fly in this session of very familiar works."  These include gems such as Caravan, Softly As In a Morning Sunrise, The Shadow of Your Smile and the title track.  Another reviewer writes:  "The Great Jazz Trio has given us the best of three worlds. Elvin Jones provides remarkable drum set action with a variety of textures. Richard Davis adds bowed and pizzicato thrills that respect these time-honored melodies. And Hank Jones continues to preach the gospel of bebop candidly, with an unforgettable charm."

[Related posts:  Great Jazz Albums  #1 (Hank Mobley), #2 (Horace Silver), #3 (Sonny Rollins), #4 (Sonny Clark), #5 (Dexter Gordon), #6 (Cannonball Adderley), #7 (Bill Evans), #8 (McCoy Tyner), #9 (Clifford Brown), #10 (Sinatra), #11 (Monk), #12 (Kenny Dorham), #13 (Coltrane), #14 (Duke Ellington), #15 (Miles Davis), #16 (Wayne Shorter), #17 (Dinah Washington); #18 (Sarah Vaughan); #19 (Stan Getz); #20 (Blue Mitchell); #21 (Gene Ammons); #22 (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers); #23 (Red Garland); #24 (Ella Fitzgerald); #25 (Charlie Parker); #26 (Art Pepper); #27 (Bud Powell); #28 (John Hicks); #29 (Kenny Barron); #30 (Coleman Hawkins); #31 (Count Basie);  #32 (Benny Carter w/ Ben Webster and Barney Bigard); #33 (Chet Baker); #34 (Thad  Jones)]