Wanton Spirit

Wanton Spirit
Studio album by
Kenny Barron
Released1994
RecordedFebruary 22–23, 1994
StudioSystems Two, Brooklyn, NYC.
GenreJazz
Length1:03:25
LabelVerve Records 314 522 364-2
ProducerJoanne Klein
Kenny Barron chronology
Other Places
(1992) 		Wanton Spirit
(1994) 		Things Unseen
(1997)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Tom HullB+[3]
Los Angeles Times[2]

Wanton Spirit is a studio album by the American jazz pianist Kenny Barron, with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Charlie Haden.[4] The album was released in 1994 on the Verve Records label. Wanton Spirit was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance.[5]

Reception

In his review on AllMusic, Lee Bloom noted: "Wanton Spirit further establishes him as a leader and teams him with bebop legend Roy Haynes on drums and Charlie Haden on bass. The early influences of Tatum, Powell, Monk, plus the melodic lines of Tommy Flanagan, the pentatonic harmony of McCoy Tyner, and the rhythmic fluidity of Herbie Hancock have all been thoroughly absorbed by Barron."[1] The Chicago Tribune critic Howard Reich wrote: "Though admired among connoisseurs, pianist Kenny Barron never has attained the acclaim he deserves. Perhaps his playing is a bit too subtle and introverted to reach a wide public, or perhaps his timing was off, since he arrived on the scene after the great legends of the '40s and '50s but before the young lions of the '80s. In any event, his name still signals first-rate pianism, as his recent release, Wanton Spirit, proves."[6] The Los Angeles Times reviewer Bill Kohlhaase stated: "Wanton Spirit makes up for Barron's near-miss recordings of the last few years while painting a more honest picture of his skills. It's an album that, finally, should bring him the accolades he deserves."[2]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Take the Coltrane"Duke Ellington6:10
2."Sail Away"Tom Harrell6:27
3."Be Bop"Dizzy Gillespie8:34
4."Passion Flower"Billy Strayhorn7:40
5."Madman"Kenny Barron5:38
6."Nightlake"Richie Beirach6:53
7."Loss of a Moment"Victor Lewis8:01
8."Wanton Spirit"Earl MacDonald5:24
9."Melancholia"Duke Ellington2:40
10."One Finger Snap"Herbie Hancock5:58
Total length:1:03:25

Personnel

Band

  • Kenny Barron – piano
  • Charlie Haden – bass
  • Roy Haynes – drums

Production

  • Jean-Philippe Allard – executive producer
  • Carol Friedman – photography
  • Alain Gerber – liner notes
  • Joanne Klein – producer
  • Didier Marc – mastering
  • Joe Marciano – engineer

References

  1. ^ a b Bloom, Lee. "Kenny Barron: Wanton Spirit". AllMusic. allmusic.com. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b Kohlhaase, Bill (May 7, 1995). "JAZZ SPOTLIGHT : *** 1/2 KENNY BARRON, 'Wanton Spirit" Verve". Los Angeles Times. latimes.com. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Kenny Barron". Tom Hull. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Kenny Baron catalogue". Jazzdisco. jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  5. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195313734.
  6. ^ Reich, Howard (May 14, 1995). "Kenny Barron: Wanton Spirit (Verve)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 19 January 2017.