Gene Harris - Alley Cats (1999)

Too many artists have gone their entire careers without providing any live albums, but that hasn't been a problem for Gene Harris whose live recordings from the 1980s and 1990s ranged from unaccompanied solo piano to big-band dates. Arguably, the best live album he gave listeners in the 1990s was Alley Cats; recorded live at Jazz Alley in Seattle on December 11-12, 1998, this CD finds Harris' working quintet (Harris on piano, Frank Potenza on guitar, Luther Hughes on bass, and Paul Kreibich on drums) joined by such accomplished soloists as Red Holloway (tenor sax), Ernie Watts (alto and tenor sax), and Jack McDuff (organ). Many inspired moments occur, and a 65-year-old Harris really goes that extra mile on gems ranging from Nat Adderley's "Jive Samba" and Benny Golson's "Blues March" to Joe Sample's "Put It Where You Want It" (which, in the 1970s, was introduced by the Crusaders before being covered by the Average White Band). A talented but underexposed singer (underexposed in the 1990s, anyway) who has recorded R&B albums but is quite capable of handling jazz, Harris' daughter Niki Harris is featured on earthy performances of "You've Changed," "Please Send Me Someone to Love," and "Guess Who." McDuff, meanwhile, brings his gritty, down-home Hammond B-3 to two songs: Eddie Harris' "Listen Here" and Gene Harris' "Walkin' With Zach." Soul-jazz enthusiasts will definitely want this excellent CD. ~ by Alex Henderson, AMG. 

Concord Jazz, CCD-4859-2, 1999
Recorded 11^th & 12^th December, 1998 Live At Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Seattle, Washington 

Personnel:
Gene Harris - Piano, Solo (#2)
Ernie Watts - Alto Saxophone (#1,6,7), Tenor Saxophone (#3-5)
Red Holloway - Tenor Saxophone (#1,3,9,10)
Jack McDuff - Organ [Hammond B-3] (#5,10)
Frank Potenza - Guitar (#9)
Luther Hughes - Bass
Paul Kreibich - Drums
Niki Harris - Vocals (#7-9) 

Tracks:
01. Put It Where You Want It {Joe Sample} (5:49)
02. Magic Lady {Joe Sample} (4:17)
03. Blues March {Benny Golson} (11:09)
04. Bird's Idea {Ernie Watts} (4:54)
05. Walkin’ With Zach {Gene Harris} (6:58)
06. Jive Samba {Nat Adderley} (6:03)
07. You've Changed {Bill Carey, Carl Fischer} (6:19)
08. Guess Who {Jesse Belvin, Joanne Belvin} (5:36)
09. Listen Here {Eddie Harris} (11:51)
10. Please Send Me Someone To Love {Percy Mayfield} (5:09) 

Total Time: 68:05 

Credits:
Producer - John Burk
Executive-Producer - Glen Barros
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Phil Edwards
Assistant Engineer - Ryan Kallis
Assembly & Mastering Engineer - Ron Davis
Product Development - Alexis Davis
Production Manager - David Miller
Art Direction - Scott Crawford
Cover Photography - Pam Benham