Clifford Jordan was in top form for this marathon, noon-to-midnight quartet studio session with
Barry Harris,
Walter Booker, and Vernel Fournier. The veteran hard bopper brought three potent originals to the date, and the group collaborated on the driving up-tempo "Fun."
Neal Hefti's "Repetition" could be subtitled "Relaxation" for its easygoing tempo. The short but effective rendition of
Monk's "Evidence" packs plenty of punch, while the medley of
Fats Navarro's "Nostalgia" and
Tadd Dameron's "Casbah" is also a masterful performance. The only downside to this release is the self-serving liner notes by the enormously egocentric
Stanley Crouch. ~ Ken Dryden