Paul Carr: Straight Ahead Soul (2010)

C. MICHAEL BAILEY,

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: September 7, 2010

Track review of "Sideyard Tracks"

If saxophonist Paul Carr Paul Carr

saxophone could be described in a single word, it would be durable. Carr's two previous recordings—Just Noodlin' (PCJE, 2008) and Musically Yours (PCJE, 2006)—displayed a dependable adherence to the Ray Charles Ray Charles
1930 - 2004
piano ' principles of rhythm and blues. His tone and attack are made of the same precious metal as that of Hank Crawford Hank Crawford
1934 - 2009
sax, alto and David Newman David Newman
. On Straight Ahead Soul, Carr does his part to move adult contemporary jazz toward respectability with the fussy and hard-to-please traditionalist.

"Sideyard Tracks" is a bright example of contemporary crossed with hard bop and soul. Guitarist Bobby Broom Bobby Broom
b.1961
guitar is perfectly matched with Carr, his fat, round notes dissolving into Carr's tenor on the head and coda. Pianist Allyn Johnson Allyn Johnson
has a Gene Harris Gene Harris
1933 - 2000
piano -like sensibility and grasp of the blues. Snap-bright and swinging, Carr adds just enough funk for credibility, producing a song easily accessible and readily listenable.

Personnel: aul Carr: tenor saxophone; Bobby Broom: guitar; Lewis Nash: drums; Allyn Johnson: Piano; Michael Bowie: bass; Sam "Segutio" Turner: percussion.

Record Label: PCJE