Alone Too Long

by Ken Dryden It seems hard to believe that this 1977 studio session was Tommy Flanagan's first entirely solo piano date, which was recorded by Nippon Columbia and first appeared as a Denon CD in the U.S. The veteran musician makes the most of the opportunity, with his impeccably beautiful sound carrying the day through a wide-ranging program, from rather elegant takes of Bud Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare" and Dave Brubeck's "In You Own Sweet Way" to breathtaking arrangements of standards such as "Here's That Rainy Day" and "The Very Thought of You." Flanagan's three originals, the soft exquisite ballad "Like a Butterfly," the late-night and bluesy "Ultima Thule," and the aptly titled "Dignified Appearance," all deserve to be better known. Most recently available from the Musical Heritage Society, this CD is well worth acquiring.