Record date: December 9, 1983
On the very same day the Satie tribute was recorded, the trio recorded another album for a different label. It’s titled You And The Night And The Music. It’s an album full of jazz standards and just one Mal original. Mal recording standards could be very interesting but also a bit dull at times. It gives him less space to stretch out and seems to limit his freedom a bit. With this record, it’s a bit of both. There are a few very interesting parts and also some that are a little boring probably. There is not a bad note to be found of course but one wonders what this group could have been capable of playing some of Mal’s originals or perhaps Workman’s compositions. It would probably have lead to a more interesting record.
Every version of every standard is very solid. And like Mal ’81 and Run About Mal with that other trio, this is very pleasant music. Even on more mainstream music like this both Workman and Blackwell are still able to find freedom in all the chords. The interplay between the musicians comes natural: the guys probably did not rehearse at all. The most beautiful song and best of the album is the version of ‘Round Midnight with Workman using his bow to provide a very deep grumbling sound that really ads something to this classic composition. Another one is the title song with Blackwell’s multi rhythmic playing and a great drum solo. The closing Waldron composition is also very beatiful. Dedicated to his mother who died in 1979. According to Mal she was a warm but very strict person. As stated before: some pretty great music but musicians of this level are definitely capable of more. They probably should have taken a bit more time.
Plenty of reissues are still avaible. The Japanese are all on Paddle Wheel/King. The US is on ProJazz, a label unknown to me. I have got the cd reissue on Paddle Wheel Japan from 2005. Great sound, basic packaging but with English liner notes! Liner notes that start with a pretty false statement: that Mal’s music became milder after his move to Europe…. Probably a mistake in translation? As it is a bit scarce in both Europe and US of course there are only Japanese sellers trying to take advantage of it asking ridiculous prices for it. As the liners are not essential one should probably grab the cheapest. Not a very challenging album but more like a pretty great jam session.
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