Editor Reviews:

Album Description:
The septet that appears on The American Soul is built upon the trio, with three tracks featuring the threesome, including the opener "Who Cares," "Liza," and the rarity "I Was So Young (You Were So Beautiful)." (Charlap also renders the closer, "Soon," as an unaccompanied piano solo, in effect putting his signature on the end of the recording.) The remaining six tracks feature various members of the four-horn frontline recruited for this album, an astounding collection of musicians spanning several generations, including Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Slide Hampton on trombone, Phil Woods on alto saxophone, and Frank Wess on tenor saxophone.

Bill Charlap: piano
Peter Washington: bass
Kenny Washington: drums

Rating : - Gershwin chamber jazz, with all that implies...
One way of interpreting Gershwin is as jaunty and spiffy, and this recording is just that. The tunes bounce around merrily for the most part and make no pretense at great profundity.

There remains the question, however, as to just how inventive the horn soloists are.

Well, there is no truth to the charge that Slide Hampton's solos are not inventive. Here's a quiz: what is the tune that Mr. Hampton quotes in his solo on 'Somebody Loves Me'? Inventive or no? Ah, but first you have to recognize a quote when you hear it... Some subtleties go just above people's heads...