GEORGE CABLES
Looking For The Light (MuseFX)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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George Cable's promotional material credits him with performances and recordings with "many of the greatest jazz musicians of our time," and it's true enough. That list would include Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Art Pepper, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie and many more. It sells Cables short a bit, though, because the fact is that over the four decades or so that he's been on the scene (he was only a teenager when he formed the Jazz Samaritans with Billy Cobham, Steve Grossman, Clint Houston and Lenny White), George Cables has *become* one of the greatest jazz musicians of our time.

The proof is all over this new release, his 18th as a leader. The disc features eight new Cables compositions, each one sounding like an instant standard, along with a version of Carole King's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," reimaging the girl group classic as a bop blues, and Erik Satie's "Gymnopedie."

Joining the pianist for the set are three longtime friends and associates, drummer Victor Lewis, bassist Peter Washington and saxophonist Gary Bartz, who sticks to the soprano for this outing. The members of the quartet have played together in various combinations and various situations over the years, and in the process have developed a musical simpatico that complements every cut on this album.

Much of the material is very personal to Cables, with dedications to various family members and friends, and was composed at a time he was facing some severe health challenges. He's on the mend and back at work, and worth watching for in your neighborhood, because based on the music on this disc, he's doing some of the very best work of a very fine career.

Track List:

Looking For The Light * Klimo * Senorita De Aranjuez * Alice Brown * Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow * Tasshi's Night Out * Mr. Baggy Pants * Gymnopedie * E.V.C. * Helen's Mother's Song

© 2004 - Shaun Dale