After many years at the top of smooth jazz tree, in-demand sax player EVERETTE HARP has returned to what he calls his ‘Fist Love’… “proper jazz”. In the sleeve notes HARP writes about getting back to the music he grew up with – stuff like JOHN COLTRANE’S ‘Soul Trane’ and DAVE BRUBECK’S ‘Time Out’. So he and producer GEORGE DUKE assembled a top band (including DWIGHT SILLS, LENNY CASTRO MICHAEL PATCHES STEWART and REGGIE YOUNG) and set to work. The result is the acclaimed 10 tracker, ‘First Love’ whose highlights include covers of COLTRANE’S ‘Central Park West’, the GERSHWIN’S ‘Our Love Is Here To Stay’ and a DUKE/HARP collaboration, ‘TEXAS GROVE’ – which has a real feel of classic CRUSADERS about it. EVERETTE HARP’S ‘First Love’ is out now on Shanachie Records.
