Charles McPherson - Live at the Cellar (2002)

At the time of this live set, altoist Charles McPherson had been known for 40 years as a major interpreter of bebop/hard bop, featuring a sound influenced by Charlie Parker. Actually, during the previous decade, which is not documented extensively, McPherson had developed a more individual sound and his style continued to evolve. This CD, which features six lengthy performances, really gives the altoist plenty of room to stretch. The recording quality on the live set from Vancouver's Cellar Club is not state of the art, but is listenable. Joined by a top-notch local trio, McPherson digs into "Spring Is Here," his bluish modal original "Illusions in Blue" (which shows how he might have sounded if he had worked with McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones), an uptempo "Blue & Boogie," an emotional "How Deep Is the Ocean," his worthy original "Manhattan Nocturne," and "Star Eyes." McPherson is in prime form throughout, showing that he had long since carved out his own voice in modern straight-ahead jazz.