Gene Wright - The Wright Groove

[captainwrong]

Always dug Gene Wright but never saw a session of his own. I'm on vacation and I could pick up a copy of this for an OK price but I'm trying to decide if it's worth trying to cram in the luggage for the trip home. I know you can't get inside my head and tell me if I'm going to dig it, but I'm just curious as to what it's like as I didn't recognize any of the other players and skimming the notes I'm guessing it was a New Zeland date?

[carnivore]

It was made when Wright was in NZ with the Brubeck Quartet. The other musicians were among the best of the few playing in New Zealand at that time - Laurie Lewis was a very good straight-ahead sax player who later settled in Australia. I haven't heard the album for many years but I think you'd find it worth a couple of listens. Must be a collector's item by now.

[captainwrong]

Well, guess I'll know soon as I get home. Went back and picked it up this afternoon.

[carnivore]

Let us know how it stands up now.

[captainwrong]

I'll have to give a couple more spins before I can give a really good assessment. So far though, sounds like a nice mainstream 60s date. Wright gets some nice solos in and a couple of his tunes I quite liked. The bari player was pretty good as well, though he seemed to be having some reed issues.