Kenny Werner - Balloons

[GA Russell]

Kenny Werner has a new album out that's nice called Balloons.

It was recorded live in concert at the Blue Note in April of last year, with Werner on piano, Randy Brecker on trumpet, David Sanchez on sax, John Patitucci on bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums.

There are only four songs, all Werner compositions. They are reasonably laid back, nothing wild.

Werner records for the Half Note label. It has occurred to me that Mack Avenue, Half Note and Motema make up a New York triumvirate maybe not seen since the days of Blue Note, Prestige and Riverside.

[jlhoots]

I agree that this is a very nice CD.

Saw this group in person with Scott Colley on bass (everyone else the same)& it was a fine concert.

[kh1958]

I like the CD also, particularly Sada and the title track.

[mikeweil]

Seems to be a carefully made record.

The German distributor's promo text talks about the grand line-up of pros Werner assembled in the studio ....

[JETman]

Werner records for the Half Note label. It has occurred to me that Mack Avenue, Half Note and Motema make up a New York triumvirate maybe not seen since the days of Blue Note, Prestige and Riverside.

While I would most certainly like to agree with you (I am a New Yorker, after all), I have to say that your statement falls extremely far from the truth. Even when you add in former Muse dude Joe Fields' two labels (High Note and Savant), the music released on these labels just smacks of "rehash". Kenny Werner is a wonderful musician, and this record is great, but one great record does not a label make.

[GA Russell]

I listened to this tonight for the first time in a while, and I liked it more than ever. This will go into my regular rotation for a while.