Kenny Davern Big Three (1985)

About this title: Clarinetist Kenny Davern is always consistent, playing swing and trad standards with creativity and in his own sound within the older pre-bop styles. This swinging trio date with a pair of excellent British jazzmen (pianist Martin Litton and drummer John Petters) holds its own with Davern's better-known sessions. Litton is a fine two-handed pianist who makes the absence of a string bass irrelevant, while Petters is tasteful in support of the lead voices. Davern shows off his remarkable ease with high notes on "Black and Blue" and is in fine form on such numbers as "You're Lucky to Me," ... read more

Tracks:

1. You're Lucky to Me [Blake/Razaf]
2. Drop Me off in Harlem [Ellington/Kenny]
3. Black and Blue
4. Willie the Weeper [Bloom/Melrose/Rymal]
5. Bye Bye Blues [Bennett/Gray/Hamm]
6. Sometimes I'm Happy
7. New Orleans
8. Lullaby of the Leaves [Petkere/Young]
9. Black Beauty [Ellington]
10. Dinah

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.