Kenny Drew

Kenny Drew Jr(肯尼德魯)，美國偉大的爵士鋼琴家。肯尼德魯在五零年代是非?；钴S的唱片藝人，從1953年第一張個(gè)人專輯開始，他像約翰柯川《Blue Train》這樣的偉大專輯中，都有過他出色的鋼琴演奏。在這之前，德魯有將近兩年的時(shí)間未曾進(jìn)入錄音室，一直到同年10月間參加Jackie McLean的專輯Jackies Bag才成為他重返唱片圈的初試啼聲，之后他就又回復(fù)了以往密集的唱片錄音工作，在同年12月11日灌錄此片前兩天，他還參加了Kenny Dorham的Shoboat專輯的錄音，顯示他是多么廣受歡迎的錄音樂手。身為接受古典訓(xùn)練出身，又受過Bud Powell調(diào)教的高徒，他在完成第一張與Howard McGhee的錄音至今，已有十一年的時(shí)間，在這過程中，他充份的融合自己的古典訓(xùn)練和當(dāng)代爵士的氛圍，并找到屬于他個(gè)人的音樂特色。對于時(shí)尚敏感的他，對當(dāng)時(shí)流行的放客與酷派爵士的品味也不陌生，卻能靠著品味和創(chuàng)造力，讓他的演奏始終新鮮卻不流于效顰的粗淺手法。隔年底，德魯就因未能在美國樂壇獲得預(yù)期的地位而轉(zhuǎn)戰(zhàn)歐洲，從此一待30年未返，并長達(dá)12年不再錄唱片，這份錄音也因此成為他赴歐前最后的幾份作品之一。
by Scott Yanow
A talented bop-based pianist (whose son has been one of the brightest pianists of the 1990s), Kenny Drew was somewhat underrated due to his decision to permanently move to Copenhagen in 1964. He made his recording debut in 1949 with Howard McGhee and in the 1950s was featured on sessions with a whos who of jazz, including Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Milt Jackson, Buddy DeFrancos quartet, Dinah Washington, and Buddy Rich (1958). Drew led sessions for Blue Note, Norgran, Pacific Jazz, Riverside, and the obscure Judson label during 1953-1960; most of the sessions are available on CD. He moved to Paris in 1961 and relocated to Copenhagen in 1964 where he was co-owner of the Matrix label. He formed a duo with Niels-Henning Orsted Pederson and worked regularly at the Montmartre. Drew recorded many dates for SteepleChase in the 1970s and remained active up until his death.