Harper, Billy Quintet – “Live On Tour In The Far East Vol. 2” – [Steeplechase Productions]

Hemroid The Leader   1/15/2016   CD, Jazz

Texas Tenor Billy Harper on tour with his eponymous quintet in Taiwan. The first track is Priestess, Harper’s most famous composition. The next tune is also by Harper, and he is very energized on the horn. The first two tracks are 17 and 25 minutes, great for the bottom of the hour. He solos first on both tracks, until trumpeter Eddie Henderson takes over at about the ten- or 11-minute mark. Concert outlook anyone? The band displays impressive command of the material, fluidly changing arrangements to evoke different moods. The album was remixed and mastered by Danish jazz god and Steeplechase honcho Nils Winther, and it sounds great.