Horace Parlan - Speakin' My Piece - XRCD

Like Django Reinhardt, Horace Parlan did the impossible and turned a disability into an advantage. Stricken with polio as a youth that left him with a partially paralyzed right hand, Parlan became a major jazz pianist who developed a highly original rhythmic style.

By the time he recorded the classic Speakin' My Piece in 1960, he had convinced Charles Mingus (who hired him in 1957) that he was one of the most soulful pianists on the scene. At 29, Parlan in 1960 was a member of Lou Donaldson's group and recording regularly as a leader for Blue Note.

Speakin' My Piece was Parlan's first album with horns, teaming his trio with the Turrentine Brothers. Tenor-saxophonist Stanley Turrentine already had his very recognizable soulful style together while trumpeter Tommy Turrentine adds bebop fire to the performances.

The music that the group plays, catchy originals including Parlan's most famous composition, "Wadin,'" is swinging and sophisticated but also bluesy, greasy and overflowing with soul. While Horace Silver may have been thought of as the king of funky jazz, another Horace, one named Parlan, was making quite a bit of noise of his own. Speakin' My Piece, which has superb sound, is essential.

"I recommend these highly. If you want the best digital versions of these great Blue Note albums, grab these. In my opinion they are the best that have ever been done and probably the best that ever will be. They can't stay in print forever so don't delay!" - Steve Hoffman, Mastering Engineer

"Blue Note has never sounded this good on CD before - these are the first digital Blue Notes that come close to the sound of vinyl. And the packaging is outstanding. I love the high quality glossy covers, and the insert booklets are the first effort I've seen to fit high quality photography into such a small package. Keep up the good work!" - Dennis Davis, Hi-Fi+

Features:
• Mastered and produced by Alan Yoshida and Joe Harley from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note 2-Track Analog Tapes!
• Highest Quality Analog-to-Digital transfers from tape to CD
• Deluxe Packaging with Hi-Resolution Black & White Session Photos by Francis Wolff.
• Includes Original Album Liner Notes
• XRCD24 is Compatible with ALL CD PLAYERS!