I fell asleep with my iPod stereo on the other night and awoke to a bluesy piano flourish by Gene Harris playing "Summertime." I can't think of a better wake-up call. Without a doubt, it's my favorite version of George Gershwin's classic tune. I think the only other one that comes close is a recording of it that Harris made with his trio, The Three Sounds.
I love everything I've ever heard by Harris and The Three Sounds, so I was thrilled a few days later when I spied a copy of "Soul Symphony" at a local record store. I didn't even know the 1969 recording had been reissued.
"Soul Symphony" doesn't feature The Three Sounds' classic lineup with Harris, bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy. And though I prefer the simple elegance of the trio to a bigger band with strings, I'll snarf up any album I can find that features Harris.
The album's title track is lovely. If I were picking the music for a remake of "Romeo and Juliet," "Soul Symphony" would be the theme song. After all, Shakespeare's tale of star-crossed lovers is the ultimate blues story. My other favorite track on the album, "Popsicle Pimp," is a bluesy funk piece that would have fit in wonderfully on a soundtrack for one of the black exploitation films of the '70s.
If you're new to the music of The Three Sounds, start with one of the group's earlier albums. But if you're in the mood for a bluesy jazz jam, you'll be thrilled by the tunes on "Soul Symphony." It would be a pleasure to wake up to any one of them.
(Jazz Blog Special is a regular feature that examines older jazz albums worth checking out.)
