TOM HARRELL “Alternate Summer”

ARTIST

Tom Harrell

ALBUM TITLE

“Alternate Summer”

LABEL

HighNote

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Now approaching eighty, Tom Harrell continues to ennoble a language as codified – and at times stereotyped – as post-bop. The great Illinois-born trumpeter, like his most illustrious peers, imbues it with a personal voice that is anything but obvious. His new release, impeccably crafted from start to finish, demonstrates this with particular clarity in four tracks that stand as the most representative of the whole.

The title track is a beautifully wrought ballad, carrying a distinct echo of Chet Baker. It is followed by Heliotrope, in a similar vein, where the trumpet is the sole horn and the guitar steps discreetly into the background in a fragrant acoustic guise. Wind then opens expansively – happily buoyant, yet sculpted and well-rounded. Finally, Radius impresses with its carefully measured physicality.

Taken together, the album offers an hour of music best appreciated in its entirety, with no urge to skip ahead. Each track flows naturally into the next, forming a complete statement by a master who continues to shape his art with elegance and depth.

—Alberto Bazzurro

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