Kenny Barron, Barry Harris - Confirmation (2003) FLAC

Tracks

01. Confirmation
02. On Green Dolphin Street
03. Tenderly
04. Embraceable You
05. All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm
06. Body & Soul
07. East Of The Sun
08. Oleo
09. Nascimento

Personnel

Kenny Barron - Piano (Grand)
Ray Drummond - Bass
Barry Harris - Piano (Grand)
Ben Riley - Drums

The combination of two pianists simultaneously on-stage is the recipe for greatness or a train wreck, but with two masters like Barry Harris and Kenny Barron, the former is a sure bet. Joining them for this live set in the great outdoors of New York City during the late summer Riverside Park Arts Festival are bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Ben Riley. There's plenty of give and take in their lively opener "Confirmation," while the lively interpretation of "On Green Dolphin Street" somewhat suggests the influence of Oscar Peterson. The fireworks really come with their rousing "All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm" with Barron offering a touch of stride piano in the opening, before the band shifts gears into an up-tempo bop setting. Lush treatments of "Body and Soul" and "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)" are true objects of beauty. Their daredevil dash through "Oleo" at a blazing speed incurs no miscues. The sign-off is Harris' tribute to a fine Latin percussionist, "Nascimento," which has the audience clapping along in delight at times. This CD was unavailable for a time when the label changed hands, though it has since been reissued with a new cover with Barron getting top billing instead of Harris.

Ken Dryden