Lucky So-And-So
Kenny Burrell
(Concord – 2001)
by Dick Bogle
Kenny Burrell is an acknowledged master of his instrument, the guitar. And, this release, the latest of hundreds, proves his career is ongoing in fine style. Working with Onaje Allan Gumbs on keyboards, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Akira Tana, Burrell lends his mastery to six very familiar tunes and four others deserving wider listening. He delights with his vocal on Ira Gershwin’s and Kurt Weill’s “My Ship.”
“Tenderly” begins as one might expect, gentle and slow, but when his bandmates kick in, there is a significant time change and Burrell is off to the races. Some of the other tunes are: “I’m Glad There Is You,” “Lucky So And So,” “The Feeling of Jazz,” ” Squeeze Me,” and “In A Sentimental Mood.”
Reprinted with kind permission of The Skanner.