Talking

by Rick AndersonOne of the late Red Mitchell's last recordings as a leader, this trio date finds him in stellar company, with pianist Kenny Barron and drummer Ben Riley. Mitchell and Barron long enjoyed a rather unique musical chemistry, and they don't disappoint here. The album opens with the title track, a slightly Latinish Mitchell original. The simple felicity of the melody -- and, in particular, of Barron's elaborations on it -- makes this track a simple but rich delight. Mitchell takes the lead on "I'm Old Fashioned," playing the head in a singing, legato style as Barron and Riley fall in gradually behind him. Elsewhere, there are equally fine versions of Barron's "El Sueno" and the standard "She's Funny That Way," as well as another exceptional Mitchell original, "Heaven's Here." The trio's version of Thelonious Monk's "Locomotive" ends the album on a surprisingly tame note, but this disc is a solid winner overall. Highly recommended.