Various Artists - We Remember Tal: A Tribute To Tal Farlow (1999)

Tracklist

01. With the wind and rain in her hair
02. Move
03. Isn't it romantic
04. Fascinating rhythm
05. Miss you, Tal
06. Talology
07. Autumn in New York
08. Gibson boy
09. I remember you
10. Meteor
11. The more I see you
12. My romance

As a memorial to the much-revered Tal Farlow, guitarist/producer Mark Elf rounded up a sextet of like-minded guitarists (including Elf himself) for a sleek, lively session of solo numbers, duets and a quartet. Elf's guest guitarists include Peter Bernstein, Gene Bertoncini, Randy Johnston, Mundell Lowe and Jack Wilkins -- and though none overtly try to imitate Farlow, they all share a mellow tone quality, lightning-fast technique when needed (check out Elf's "Move" -- it moves!), and a predilection for safe, straight-ahead bop runs. There are two tribute tunes -- Johnston's marvelous uptempo "Talology" and Elf's ballad "Miss You Tal" - a couple of Farlow's own pieces ("Meteor," "Gibson Boy") are included; the rest are standards that he liked to play or whatever the six guitarists felt like blowing on. Dennis Irwin (bass) and the propulsive Idris Muhammad (drums) handle all of the rhythm work, laying out only for Wilkins' solo "My Romance." On the sole quartet track, the multiplied guitars of Bernstein, Johnston, Lowe and Wilkins make a delicious sound together on a fast-paced "Fascinating Rhythm; " it would have been nice to have more of those meetings on the disc.

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