On the Spur of the Moment

Personnel: Horace Parlan (piano); Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Tommy Turrentine (trumpet); George Tucker (bass); Al Harewood (drums).
Producer: Alfred Lion.
Reissue producer: Michael Cuscuna.
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on March 18, 1961. Originally released on Blue Note (84074). Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler.
Digitallt remastered using 20-bit technology by Ron McMaster.
This is part of Blue Note's Limited Edition Connoisseur series.
Recording information: Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (03/18/1961).
Photographer: Francis Wolff.
Again working with his longtime rhythm section of George Tucker (bass) and Al Harewood (drums), Horace Parlan manages to On the Spur of the Moment make distinctive by emphasizing the rhythmic side of his hard bop. Tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and trumpeter Tommy Turrentine help give the quintet a bluesy edge, which the band exploits to an appealing effect throughout these six, mostly original, compositions. There are a few ballads, and even when things are at their hottest, Parlan's understated playing is a cue for the group to keep it tasteful, but that relaxed atmosphere is part of the reason why On the Spur of the Moment is another winning effort from the underrated pianist. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine