Hendrik Meurkens - Bill Cunliffe Cabin in the Sky

Hendrik Meurkens - Bill Cunliffe
Cabin in the Sky
Height Advantage

A new album of duets between the harmonica wizard Meurkens and pianist Cunliffe mixes some originals with some Broadway and pop standards that will delight listeners. The elegance of Cunliffe's piano and  Meurkens harmonica mastery is evident with the opening title track  Meurkens certainly displays the skills that have some to label him as the successor to Toots Thielemans, while Cuniliffe's accompaniment and solo dances in its own way as well. Cunliffe provided a string arrangement for the wistful original from Meurkens, "Afternoon," followed by the duo's lovely rendition of Wayne Shorter's "Miyako," and a lively rendition of Joe Zawinul's "Young and Fine."

Cunliffe's "You Don't Know," is a lightly swinging blues-inflected number, while "Invitation" is warmly interpreted. The Cunliffe/McConnell number, "Time to Say Goodbye," has a reflective quality. There is surprise to be heardin a performance of "Ode to Billie Joe," as Meurkens harmonica sings the Bobby Gentry lyrics.  Cuniliffe's piano provides some bounce to "Speak Low." An imaginative take of Jobim's "Wave," has references to "Smoke on the Water" in the closing performance of a recording by two kindred souls, full of marvelous playing that displays their virtuosity, imagination, and wit.

I received my review copy from a publicist. I have made some stylistic edits and corrections to the review that originally appeared in the July-August Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 379). Here is a promotional video for the recording.

Hendrik Meurkens Harmonicus Rex

The remarkable jazz harmonica wizard, Hendrik Meurkens, may be best known for his magic in the realm of Brazilian jazz, but on his latest release, "Harmonicus Rex," his focus is on straight ahead jazz. On this session he is joined by the legendary Jimmy Cobb on drums, along with bassist Marco Panascia and pianist Dado Moroni. Joe Magnarelli on trumpet and Anders Bostrom on alto flute are each heard on four of the eleven tracks (one on which they both are heard). The program on this release are five originals as well as six interpretations of standards.

Meurkens' "Mundell's Mood" is a bright, swinging number that opens this with the leader and Magnarelli stating the theme before the trumpeter takes the first solo before Meurkens takes the first of his solos on his chromatic harmonica with his melodic invention and horn like phrasing (if not tone) at the fore before a break from Moroni with Magnarelli and the leader trading fours prior to the coda. Its the beginning of a delightful, and wide-ranging, recording with the rhythm section exemplary throughout. The groove of Meurkens' "Slidin'" has Meurkens sounding a bit more wistful at first before he solos vigorously followed by Bostrom's lovely flute.

Moroni rumbles a bit to set the mood for a lovely quartet rendition of Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way." Then there is a lovely, bluesy original ballad performance, "Afternoon" with Magnarelli on flugelhorn contributing to the mood that Meurkens' engenders here. Both Magnarelli and Bostrom are present for the lively rendition of Milt Jackson's blues, "SKJ," while Meurkens' fluidity, melodic playing and invention is showcased on the Rodgers-Hart classic "Falling in Love With Love," with Moroni and Panascia also showcased. "A Summer in San Francisco" is a lovely, lazy original that features Bostrom while Magnarelli adds his bright tone to a relaxed, rendition of Freddie Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring."

The album closes with marvelous quartet performances of the standards "Darn That Dream" and "What's New." And one cannot emphasize how exceptional the rhythm section is throughout nearly one hour of delightful, straight-ahead jazz on "Harmonicus Rex."

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here Meurkens is heard performing "Up Jumped Swing" with Cobb and Moroni by Ray Drummond on bass.