Found! Eddie Harris: Mighty Like A Rose

I like taking chances on LPs, that’s part of the fun. The title of this LP and the cover photo didn’t exactly thrill me, but I’d recently heard Eddie Harris play Exodus and loved it. Mighty Like A Rose (Vee Jay LP 3025, mono, 1961) was a very gratifying and easy listen. I’d swear Harris was playing an alto, but he’s on tenor. If I didn’t know who was playing, I’d guess Paul Desmond.

Wanna relax? Sip a glass of cab, take it easy? This is a great LP for that. Harris doesn’t overpower you. He seamlessly slides back and forth between the notes and makes you glad you’re alive to hear this record. No straining to keep up, no bombast. Even when guitarist Joe Diorio (never heard of him) or pianist Willie Pickens (same) come in, it’s the same. Rest easy, Eddie & company are here.