With this recording, Randy Porter makes his case for that small
circle of great West Coast pianists; names like Mike Wofford, Alan
Broadbent, Dave Peck and Andrei Kitaev. This is an album of a dozen
time honored standards, five of which are
performed by a dream trio of Porter, Mel Brown, drums and the late
Leroy Vinnegar, bass. They hit an honest, easy-swinging groove on
Takin' A Chance On Love, Don't Take Your Love From Me and Swingin'
On A Star. And Randy's one chorus on I'll Be Seeing You is the gem
in the jeweler's window. Add Nancy King -- as relaxed and in the pocket
as I've ever heard her -- on seven vocals, my favorite of which is
a nearly forgotten tune called Very Good Advice. It's simply Nancy
at her best. And don't miss her "ah, this is a cinch" bop
lines on Bird's Now's The Time. Nancy has always "told the story"
with ballads and does so here with Never Never Land and the haunting
Matt Dennis tune, The Night We Called It A Day. Porter is up to the
task whether as leader or in his role as accompanist to Ms. King.
What can we say about Mel and Leroy that hasn't already been said?
Peerless on their respective instruments, they make everybody else's
job a piece of
cake. Heavywood Records, 1999; Playing Time: 52:51; ****1/2.
