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"This is a terrific recording, excellent arrangements of some classic numbers, top class production, and playing of the highest quality. Mr. Harris plays with a fine clarity and produces a clear and well defined sound that is a pleasure to listen to. GREAT WORK ALL AROUND." "Fantastic Album. Great stuff for our Radio Station!" Alex Pijnen "Can I ask you to send me one more copy (maybe signed) of this truly wonderful CD?" "Excellent disc - I play it all the time."
Billed as “intimate jazz” the music does indeed live up to the billing offering romantic interpretations of such classics as “When I Fall In Love,” “Someone To Watch Over Me,” and Jerome Kern's “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” among others. Beginning with light piano lines from Kieswetter in combination with Kretzer's soft brush work, Harris opens up with a tender read of George Gershwin's “Someone To Watch Over Me” setting the stage for the mellow theme of the album. This is followed by the David Raskin classic “Laura,” which the leader dedicates to his daughter and maternal grandmother of the same name. Saxophonist Jansson lays down a floating tenor phrase that only Harris himself bests with his own horn solos. Having established the gentle side of this disc, not all is laid back however as two pieces of music in particular will detail. The Harris arrangement of Van Morrison's popular pop tune “Moondance” offers a swinging musical landscape for Harris, the sax man and guitarist Rich to provide a bit of swing. The original “Club Havana” is perhaps the breakout number of the album filled with spicy and delicious solos from the tenorist and Harris on flugelhorn as Kieswetter leaves the piano for the electric piano dicing the sound in what turns out to be one riveting number ending in a crescendo of sounds. For a mellow musical experience that one will appreciate often, sample the Richard Harris debut “Songs From My Heart,”and allow this enchanting and impressive session of light contemporary jazz, to touch a part of your soul. On a very serious side, a portion of the proceeds of this album are dedicated to the research and public awareness of Amyloidosis, a rare progressive debilitating and eventually fatal disease which, Harris struggles with daily. Harris is committed to fighting the affliction with every fiber of his being and as such, with this recording, enlists his music in the battle of his life. *********************************
Richard,
"Fantastic! Could you please send me your discs and I'll play them on my show! Great tone!" Thanks, Gary Lowe - the "Exploring Jazz" Show WSCA - FM Portsmouth, NH ***************************************
Richard,
"I just finished with the new playlist. There are three of your BEAUTIFUL songs there. "Moondance", "Someone to Watch Over Me", and "Here's That Rainy Day".
"Thank you for the magic...Keep on playing and feeling!" Esther Berlanga - Ryan Radio Broadcaster, Journalist, Jazz Writer LIVE 365 Radio Live365.com **************************************
"Hi Richard,
Greetings from Skopje, Macedonia. Enclosed is one of my recent radio playlists which include your excellent material. Always interested to present more from you when possible!
Vasja Ivanovski"
Jazz Spaces 10 pm - 2 am
94.1 Radio 2 Skopje, Macedonia ********************************************
Joe Kocherhans, Music Director of Station KSDS-FM Jazz 88 in San Diego, California had this to say ... "We added your recording to our playlist last week. Great Job! ************************************************
"... [Harris's] rich sound and heartfelt expressiveness help generate appealing interpretations of mostly ballad standards, as well as three of his own finely crafted originals.""His "Club Havana" is perhaps the most unfettered track on the CD. Harris's lustrous flugelhorn plays the dancing theme over an infectious Latin pulse. Jannson's tenor solo flows with an acutely lyrical, [Stan] Getz-like sensibility, Kieswetter delivers skillfully executed accompaniment on electric piano, in addition to a lilting and assured solo. Harris caresses the melody once again before the surprise appearance of a boppish vamp right out of Bird on 52nd Street, a perfect finishing touch to this well-arranged performance." Rating 92/100 "Outstanding. A work of superior merit." Scott Albin writing for Jazz.com |
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