Description
180g High Quality Pressing!
Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering!
Bonus Track "Lush Life" Not On The Original Release!
Originally released by Theresa in 1981, this frequently exquisite set features the McCoy Tyner-inspired piano of Joe Bonner on four originals, Cal Massey's "Quiet Dawn" and "Lush Life". Bonner and a rhythm section are joined by a string quartet, trumpet, trombone, and flutist Holly Hofmann (the leader provided the arrangements) for music that is both lyrical and often passionate. Bonner is an underrated talent, and this is one of his finest recordings. – by Scott Yanow
Bonner is only the second-most famous pianist born in Rocky Mount, N.C., behind Thelonious Monk. It's indicative of Bonner's lack of fame and appreciation that Monk is listed as a notable resident on Rocky Mount's Wikipedia page, but Bonner is not.
But the pianist Bonner was most often compared to was not Monk but McCoy Tyner. Scott Yanow's allmusic.com review of Impressions of Copenhagen said Bonner's piano playing was "McCoy Tyner-inspired." Bonner's admittedly biased drummer, Tom Tilton, even felt Bonner surpassed Tyner. "Joe Bonner has all the power of McCoy, he has all the capability of McCoy, but he's so much more romantic," Tilton said, according to westword.com. "I mean, I've been there time after time where there were tears running down people's faces when he would play a ballad. He could captivate a room like nobody I've ever experienced before."
