Track Listing

1. Sweet Honey Bee
2. Sudel
3. After the Rain
4. Gaslight
5. Big Bertha
6. Empathy
7. Ready Rudy?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25793 in Music
• Released on: 2004-03-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Customer Reviews

IN RARE FORM
PERSONNEL:
Freddie Hubbard-trumpet
Joe Henderson-tenor sax
James Spaulding-alto sax,flute
Duke Pearson-piano
Ron Carter-bass
Mikey Rocker-drums

Well-known for his superlative arranging skills for big band as well as smaller ensembles,and as a solid main-stream pianist,this recording is a
good testimonial to all of these attributes.I consider SWEET HONEY BEE to be the finest recording during his tenure at BLUE NOTE RECORDS.This sextet is polished,with some great originals by Pearson,top-shelf soloing all around, and a really superb rhythm section,with Freddie Hubbard,James Spaulding,and Joe Henderson taking full advantage of the moment.Standouts for me were the surreal qualities of 'GAS LIGHT',which merits a thoughtful and hi-calibre solo by Henderson,and the straight ahead 'one-two punch' of 'BIG BERTHA'.Hubbard,Spaulding and Henderson really 'smoke'this one,with the sparkling drive of Roker,Carter,and Duke spurring them on.On both these tunes Pearson really diplays his remarkable compositional and arranging skills.This comes highly reccomended.Also, two other suberb CD's with Duke Pearson as leader,are 'THE DUKE PEARSON BIG BAND' (Blue Note Records),and 'PROFILE'(with Stanley Turrentine/Blue Note Records).Enjoy! Health and happiness.

I'm really diggin' this
A review I read (not here) bad-mouthed this, but I got a chance to hear it and my ears loved it. Far from a "blowing session," these tunes represent Pearson's compositional and arranging skills, and incorporate tasty solos without abandoning melody and form. A very cool 60s groove.

sweet indeed.
this is my favorite duke pearson cd. It is not as much jazzy as it is loungy (there is less room for soloing, even though the cast is a-list, a big chunk of it is orchestrated), and it definitely has an easy listening quality to it, but once it is on, I can't help but play it again and again.