'Bout
Time"... The title says it all - It's about time that Al
Pearson released
a recording under his own
name! I have seen and heard Al many
times over the past few years. He
is an important voice in a number of big bands in Kansas City; Steve
Miller, Blvd. Big Band, Vince Bilardo and Trilogy. He can also be found playing
casuals with many of the city's best musician.
Al began his musical career in Philadelphia doing casuals, shows and studio
work. He worked in groups lead by
Philadelphia bandleader Sam Reed that backed the likes of Stevie Wonder, The
Four Tops, Smoky Robinson and Sammy Davis, Jr. The jazz side of things found him
working with another Philadelphia bandleader, Owen Marshal, backing up
Al Grey, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry and Jackie McLean, among others.
The next phase of Al's career found him in Phoenix, Arizona, where he
attended and graduated from Mesa Community College.
Al followed this by enrolling at Arizona State University as a Business
Major and received a B.S. in Business Administration.
Since his field was Computer Science, Al has specialized in computer work
for over twenty-five years. Al
played all the while at A.S. U. and had a chance to do concerts with Marvin Gaye
on his last concert tour.
Next on the Al Pearson agenda was a move to Kansas City.
It didn't take long before Al was working with some of K.C.'s best
musicians; Jay McShann, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, Carmell Jones, Arch
Martin, Bill Caldwell, Ahmad Alaadeen, Everette DeVan and many others.
More recently Al has performed as trumpet soloist with any number of jazz
groups and, has backed Queen Bey for some time now.
For
this new release (recorded in
August and November 'in 1997) Al has utilized some fine players from the K.C.
area: Doug Talley, tenor sax: Wayne
Hawkins, piano and organ: Rickey
Anderson, bass: Mike Warren, drums and Michael DeLeon, percussion.
A very big plus comes with the addition of internationally known alto
saxophonist (from Lawrence, Kansas) Bobby Watson.
SAVE
YOUR LOVE FOR ME: A wonderful
”slow dancin” feeling on this Buddy Johnson classic.
Al's restrained approach proves that less is more.
A very tasty track.
GTJITACA
CITY: Paquito D'Rivera's work done in a super swinging style.
Again, special guest artist Bobby Watson helps make this a winner.
Watson
is on board again and the solos are all terrific.
In
closing, let me say, what a pleasure it was hearing this new CD.
Al is a very fine artist and truly nice human being.
Al, I hope you're already thinking about your second release!
Dick
Wright
K.U.
Music Dept./KANU-FM