Black Action Figure

Black Action Figure

ASIN: B00000K4H7

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
As a promising member of Generation X jazz musicians, vibraphonist Stefon Harris has accorded himself well with a variety of stars, including Wynton Marsalis, Steve Turre, and Cassandra Wilson. On his second CD, Harris is augmented by Turre on trombone, Jason Moran on piano, Gary Thomas on tenor sax and flute, Eric Harland on drums, and alto saxophonist Greg Osby. Stylistically, Harris is straight out of the Bobby Hutcherson school, especially on the uptempo numbers "Feline Blues" and "The Alchemist," which show off his penchant for blazing Coltrane-like runs. Harris's renditions of the standards "There Is No Greater Love" and "You Stepped Out of a Dream"--a solo performance--are marvelous melodic reconstructions, and "My Little Black Action Figure" and "Of Things to Come" swing in progressive, late-'60s and '90s grooves. "Faded Beauty" flirts with a moody, ebony-hued ambiance that suits Harris's beautiful mallet touch well and offers us a preview of what we can expect from emerging talent. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Tracks:

Club Madness
Feline Blues
There Is No Greater Love
Of Things To Come
After The Day Is Done
Conversations At The Mess
BlackActionFigure
Collage
You Stepped Out Of A Dream
Alovi
Bass Vibes
The Alchemist
Chorale
Faded Beauty
Musical Silence

Amazon.com

As a promising member of Generation X jazz musicians, vibraphonist Stefon Harris has accorded himself well with a variety of stars, including Wynton Marsalis, Steve Turre, and Cassandra Wilson. On his second CD, Harris is augmented by Turre on trombone, Jason Moran on piano, Gary Thomas on tenor sax and flute, Eric Harland on drums, and alto saxophonist Greg Osby. Stylistically, Harris is straight out of the Bobby Hutcherson school, especially on the uptempo numbers "Feline Blues" and "The Alchemist," which show off his penchant for blazing Coltrane-like runs. Harris's renditions of the standards "There Is No Greater Love" and "You Stepped Out of a Dream"--a solo performance--are marvelous melodic reconstructions, and "My Little Black Action Figure" and "Of Things to Come" swing in progressive, late-'60s and '90s grooves. "Faded Beauty" flirts with a moody, ebony-hued ambiance that suits Harris's beautiful mallet touch well and offers us a preview of what we can expect from emerging talent. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Customer Reviews:

Quiet passion.......2007-05-30

Very easy listening music. Each instrument in the group blended seamlessly throughout, however, each identity still came through.

Some great moments.......2001-12-25

This recording has some great moments -- and they are all about Stefon Harris. This guy is a virtuoso, and his musical ideas seem to be created on the spot -- completely fresh. The only thing that detracts from this recording are the horns -- the infamous Greg Osby who dislikes melodies of all kinds, always playing "out" and distracting from the music. Unfortunately, Gary Thomas and Steve Turre seem to follow his lead. But there is still some fine music on this CD, and it is well worth buying. I am waiting for Stefon to really find his own voice and bust out with a recording all his own. If that ever happens, it will be a must-listen musical event.

blue note strikes again.......2001-04-02

I really wanted to like this CD. Unfortunately, as vibrant and dynamic of a performer as I suspect Stefon is, this CD does not warrant a glowing review. The impression I get every time I listen to this CD is that the performer is hidden behind a curtain. The dynamics and soundstage of the recording are just muffled enough to detract from the recording's energy, rendering it somewhat opaque. Poor Stefon, he has suffered the curse of the current incarnation of his label, Blue Note. I always hesitate to purchase Blue Note recordings: they just do not maintain the same level of sonic quality that a Mapleshade or Verve does. (A great example of this is Chucho Valdes' recent live recording at the Village Vanguard. Play that CD on a good stereo and you'll left scratching head and wondering if the folks at Blue Note are deaf; the recording's mixing is very poorly done.) I only purchased this CD as an introduction to Stefon, before seeing him perform live in 2 weeks. It will be interesting to see how much of Stefon's abilities this CD actually captures.

An emrging vibes MASTER!.......2000-10-09

This was one beautiful CD! I now realize with wet eyes (tears of joy) that life and music really does go on and on... Stefon reminds me of all of the vibe artists of olden times gone and still with us! I loved this CD as it was perfect for chillin' at a cookout or with your lady! I can only say that this CD brings back Mellow Madness or Quiet Storm classic to this whole CD.... A must for any Jazz Afficianado!

ed saunders Nashville, TN

Disappointing.......2000-07-28

This is a disappointing CD to me. The compositions and playing sound half formed, like the players were not quite ready to record an album yet and needed more seasoning. The band never really jells. Harris has obvious skill as a player but his ideas are not that compelling. This sounds like a student effort. I realize that other listeners have come to a different conclusion but these are my strong, and honest, impressions.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music