Getz and Rowles, Dusk in Sharp Focus
A Columbia record where Stan Getz steps back and lets Jimmy Rowles's piano take the lead, and it works beautifully.
The Peacocks came out on Columbia in 1977, after being recorded in 1975. Reception was warm rather than explosive. Its reputation has grown since, and AllMusic reviewer Michael G. Nastos called it the best of the few Jimmy Rowles recordings and a project Getz was proud to bring to the jazz world, adding that it deserves the Columbia Jazz Masterpieces tag. That is a strong endorsement, and it holds up.
The session pairs Stan Getz on tenor saxophone with Rowles on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Getz is the name on the cover, but Rowles is the one shaping the music. His playing is spacious and witty, with a light touch that leaves room for the saxophone to breathe. Jones and Williams keep things grounded without ever pushing too hard, and the result is a relaxed, conversational group sound rather than a showcase for one soloist.
If you are new to Rowles, this is a good place to start. It is more entertaining than many of the quieter records he made under his own name, and it shows his skill as a accompanist and bandleader without the pressure of a long program. It is not a challenging or experimental record. It is a well-made, pleasurable one, and it is among the better entries in Getz's later-career catalogue.
Who's playing
Where next?
More by Jimmy Rowles
All 27 albums →
The musicians on this record
In Paris Live 1996
Stan Getz
plays tenor saxophone here
plays tenor saxophone here
Dear John C. 1965
Elvin Jones
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
♫
Acoustic Masters I 1994
Buster Williams
plays double bass here
plays double bass here
