Harold Mabern: Mabern Plays Coltrane

Although he never played with John Coltrane, pianist/composer Harold Mabern (1936–2019) was a huge fan of the visionary saxophonist/composer (1926–1967) and considered him a mentor. For his sixth Smoke Sessions release, Mabern gathered frequent collaborators tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth, plus alto saxophonist Vincent Herring and trombonist Steve Davis to perform six Coltrane originals and one tune that gained “Trane” appreciation inside and outside of jazz. While medium swingers such as ‘Blue Train,” “Straight Street,” and uptempo burners such as “Impressions” are played similar to the original versions, “Naima,” which is usually played as a ballad, has more of a bossa nova feel. In his intro to “My Favorite Things” Mabern plays the melody to “Ai No Corrida,” a 1980s dance music hit for Quincy Jones, before plunging into the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. As one would expect with the caliber of the musicians involved, everything is well played, with Alexander and Herring contributing fiery solos throughout, and Mabern Plays Coltrane also has a good live sound. If this is the last Mabern recording, he left us something to enhance his legacy. Thank you, Mr. Mabern.