Pamela Hines Trio with April Hall
Lucky’s Boy
Spice Rack Records
Best known for her freestyle playing, pianist/composer Pamela Himes fuses her natural inclination for frenzied raptures with cabaret-tinted vamps on her new album Lucky’s Boy from Spice Rack Records. Featuring the sophisticated voicing of April Hall, Lucky’s Boy is a collection of original songs all written by Hines and performed by Hines on piano, John Lockwood on bass, and Les Harris, Jr. on drums.
Hines’s keys project an angelic gracefulness as she sprints from one track to the next keeping the listener engrossed in the music. Lockwood’s bluesy bass scaffolds Hall’s vocals on the opening of “Dreamerman” and before long Harris’ sleek drum taps come in girdled by the scatting keys of Hines creating a cozy piano bar ambience. Harris’s rippling drums launch “Where I Started” joined by the pivoting movements of Hines’ keys which blossoms into trills of tranquility along the title track.
The bossa nova grooves of “Moment” permeate a sunny vibe anchored in misty keys, and transition into reflective musings along “Idle Chatter” clad in soft rivulets of brushed drums and wreathes of twinkling keys. The sensuality in the versing of the keys along “Welcome Blues” has a cushioning feel, which changes to a perky tempo in “Porter Please” as Hall’s vocals emotes passion in every inflection. The rapid beats that suspend “Spectrum” are pillared by Hines’ vibrating keys moving vigorously and with purpose as Harris’s drum solo in the center embellish the track with freestyle whipping and splashing.
Lucky’s Boy is an album that never loses a shred of luster with every repeat listen. It’s jazz for jazz lovers and inspires the finer sensations to excel.
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Musicians:
Pamela Hines – piano, John Lockwood- bass, Les Harris, Jr. – drums, and guest April Hall – vocals
Tracklisting”
Dreamerman, Where I Started, Lucky’s Boy, Moment, Twilight (Winter in New England), Idle Chatter, Welcome blues, Porter Please, Spectrum