CHARLES MCPHERSON
McPherson's Mood (Original Jazz Classics)
Reviewed by Ron Saranich

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Originally recorded in 1969 and just remastered and re-released by Original Jazz Classics, McPherson's Mood is a wonderful effort by Charles McPherson. McPherson's alto saxophone owes much to Charlie Parker, but as the critic Tom Piazza said, McPherson "...mastered and absorbed the nuances of Parker's style better than anyone, yet he is instantly identifiable." For this date, McPherson was joined by his mentor Barry Harris on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums.

At the time of this session, McPherson was an integral member of Charles Mingus's band. He learned his lessons well from Master Mingus. On the six songs he chose to record, McPherson's solos were tasteful, confident, and emotional. Four of the six tunes were written by McPherson and were catchy numbers well seeped in the blues. His two covers, the classic Stevie Wonder tune "My Cherie Amour" and Cole Porter's "I Get A Kick Out Of You," were both joyous numbers that burned with controlled passion and tenderness. Both songs possessed the possibility of sounding maudlin and trite, but McPherson nailed the relaxed mood of both songs, turning in mature, romantic interpretations. Barry Harris, as usual, shone throughout.

If you are looking for an excellent alto saxophone CD by someone who is still relatively unknown to the average jazz listener, do yourself a favor and explore McPherson's Mood. In today's stressful world, a little bit of outstanding jazz goes a long way toward putting one in a perfect mood for the remainder of the day.

© 2001 - Ron Saranich