Description
Horace Parlan – Speakin’ My Piece – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Speakin’ My Piece was Horace Parlan’s second Blue Note album as a leader and the first to place his piano inside a two-horn quintet. Recorded in July 1960, it features trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Al Harewood. Parlan’s distinctive touch, developed partly in response to limited movement in his right hand, gives the music a strong left-hand pulse and a rhythmic identity that is immediately recognizable.
“Wadin’” opens with a patient, gospel-tinged groove. The Turrentine brothers bring contrasting colors to the theme: Tommy’s trumpet is clean and compact, while Stanley’s tenor has the broad, speech-like quality that would soon make him a Blue Note star. “Up in Cynthia’s Room,” written by Stanley, is one of the session’s warmest melodies and allows Parlan to support the horns with spare, perfectly placed chords.
“Borderline” increases the harmonic tension without sacrificing swing. “Rastus” returns to a blues and church-inflected language, using repetition as a source of momentum. Parlan’s “Oh So Blue” is exactly that—a slow, deeply shaded performance in which the pianist’s restraint matters as much as the notes he plays. The title track closes with a direct blues statement that brings the ensemble’s individual voices into one shared conversation.
The album’s accessibility comes from the clarity of its themes, but the playing is never casual. Tucker and Harewood had already developed a close partnership with Parlan, and their understanding lets the pianist place accents in unusual spaces without disturbing the time. The horns respond in kind, turning short riffs and blues phrases into tightly shaped solos rather than relying on volume or speed.
This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series edition presents the original six-track stereo album on 180-gram vinyl. It was mastered all-analog by Kevin Gray from the original tapes and pressed at Optimal. UPC 602448595508 identifies this pressing, which retains the original sequence and Reid Miles cover of Parlan’s 1960 quintet date.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Record Details
Artist: Horace Parlan
Title: Speakin’ My Piece
Format: 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Label: Blue Note Records
Release year: 1960
UPC: 602448595508
Track Listing
A1. Wadin’
A2. Up in Cynthia’s Room
A3. Borderline
B1. Rastus
B2. Oh So Blue
B3. Speakin’ My Piece
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