Recorded in 1968, this pairing of Hungarian guitar genius
Gabor Szabo and vocalist
Lena Horne is a study in contrasts. For starters, the band is stellar.
Szabo enlisted the help of bassist
Chuck Rainey, drummer
Grady Tate, and organist
Richard Tee. Originally released on the short-lived Skye label owned by
Szabo,
Cal Tjader, and
Gary McFarland (who produced this 1970 set), the album opens with a beautiful duet between
Horne and
Szabo in "My Mood Is You," and is followed by the slippery, romantic instrumental "Galatea's Guitar." But it isn't until track three, with the
Michel Legrand masterpiece "Watch What Happens," that the album truly kicks into gear. The contrast of
Horne's full-throated voice and
Szabo's unconventional, modal guitar playing is mesmerizing, and
Tee's swinging B-3 just struts and pops through the melody. With its shimmering melody lines,
George Harrison's "Something" was a tune built for
Szabo, and
Horne -- in typical fashion -- understates the lyric and carries through with her trademark languid phrasing. Other standouts here include
Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talking" and
Lennon and
McCartney's trio of tunes "Rocky Raccoon" (one of the most original versions ever recorded), "In My Life," and a dreamy yet dramatic "Fool on the Hill." An instrumental read of
Donovan's "Ferris Wheel" showcases the delicate yet intuitive interplay of the quartet, with
McFarland's whispering string and horn arrangements. This is a fine date and will be desired by fans of both artists.