Don Grolnick The Complete London Concert

Released digitally via Peter Erskine’s Fuzzy Memory Music Archives, this 1995 live acoustic jazz set features pianist/composer Don Grolnick in peak form, accompanied by the unsurpassable lineup of Erskine, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Marty Ehrlich, Robin Eubanks, Peter Washington, and Don Alias. The concert’s original 2000 CD issue was incomplete due to missing tapes; this update now fully restores the entire concert, save for a section of “I Want To Be Happy.” It’s a minor quibble; Grolnick’s highly sophisticated yet unpretentious music is vibrant here in all its swinging glory. Erskine’s myriad drumming highlights include his feverish swing behind Michael Brecker’s tenor solo on “What Is This Thing Called Love” followed by his own dazzling extended solo. On “Waterbabies,” Erskine’s locked-in Latin grooves with Don Alias hits critical mass, peaking with their crowd-flooring solos and duet. The year following this show, Grolnick passed away much too young. This restoration serves as a fitting tribute to his joyful brilliance. (Fuzzy Memory Music Archives)

Jeff Potter