Mark Morganelli feat. Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, Ron Carter - Speak Low (1990)

Mark Morganelli records infrequently as a leader, but he has been very active in New York City as a promoter and producer, and inevitably has been in charge of organizing the late-night jam sessions at the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference and the now-defunct Jazz Times Convention, as well as serving as the New York producer for Candid during its second incarnation. It's hard for a horn player to go wrong when he has recruited a rhythm section of Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, and Jimmy Cobb, and Morganelli seems additionally inspired by his company on this live date at Birdland. "Speak Low" is a real cooker, while Barron's "Dreams" is a gentle samba featuring the leader initially on flügelhorn before he returns on muted trumpet. Morganelli's dark flügelhorn and Barron's intriguing chord substitutions give a fresh sound to the oft-recorded "Summertime," and his waltzing version of another classic, "A Child Is Born," is also enjoyable. Morganelli also contributed two originals: the up-tempo post-bop "Blues for Ian" (in honor of his infant son) and a very happy sounding samba "The Jolly Jumper," named after one of his son's favorite toys. This CD will greatly please fans of hard bop and post-bop; Mark Morganelli clearly deserves to be recorded more frequently.