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{{In use|time=15:30, 12 January 2025 (UTC)}}
{{Infobox album {{Infobox album
| name = Black Pearl | name = Black Pearl
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| length = | length =
| label = ] | label = ]
| producer = | producer = George Petit
| prev_title = Crystal Stair | prev_title = Crystal Stair
| prev_year = 1987 | prev_year = 1987
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| next_year = | next_year =
}} }}
'''''Black Pearl''''' is an album by the American jazz duo ]/], released in 1988.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Magro |first1=Anthony |title=Contemporary Cat: Terence Blanchard with Special Guests |date=2002 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |page=83}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones IV |first1=James T. |title=Traditionalists hit the big time |work=USA Today |date=September 13, 1988 |page=2D}}</ref> It was their final album together; Blanchard began his long partnership with the director ] on '']'', released the same year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Levesque |first1=Roger |title=Trumpeter alternates jazz sets, movie sets |work=Edmonton Journal |date=December 11, 1992 |page=F3}}</ref> '''''Black Pearl''''' is an album by the American jazz duo ]/], released in 1988.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Magro |first1=Anthony |title=Contemporary Cat: Terence Blanchard with Special Guests |date=2002 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |page=83}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones IV |first1=James T. |title=Traditionalists hit the big time |work=USA Today |date=September 13, 1988 |page=2D}}</ref> It was their final album together; Terence Blanchard began his long partnership with the director ] on '']'', released the same year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Levesque |first1=Roger |title=Trumpeter alternates jazz sets, movie sets |work=Edmonton Journal |date=December 11, 1992 |page=F3}}</ref> The duo supported the album with a North American tour.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McNally |first1=Owen |title=Weak sound trims jazz quintet to trio |work=Hartford Courant |date=July 24, 1988 |page=B4}}</ref>


==Production== ==Production==
Harrison and Blanchard were backed by ] on drums, ] on bass, and ] on piano.<ref name=GM/> ] played guitar on "Infinite Heart".<ref name=AM/> Harrison played a ] on some of the songs.<ref name=PI/> "Somewhere" is an interpretation of ]'s composition.<ref name=WP/> "Selim Sivad" is a paean to ].<ref name=AM/> The album was produced by George Petit.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lemcke |first1=Steve |title=The Desired Effect is what you get |work=The Burlington Free Press |date=January 30, 1997 |department=Weekend |page=5}}</ref> Donald Harrison and Blanchard were backed by ] on drums, ] on bass, and ] on piano.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ross |first1=Alan |title=Jazz needs TV exposure, trumpeter says |work=The Indianapolis Star |date=September 25, 1988 |page=E6}}</ref> ] played guitar on "Infinite Heart".<ref name=AM/> Harrison played a ] on some of the songs.<ref name=PI/> "Somewhere" is an interpretation of ]'s composition.<ref name=WP/> "Selim Sivad" is a paean to ].<ref name=AM/>


==Critical reception== ==Critical reception==
Line 28: Line 27:
|rev1 = ] |rev1 = ]
|rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="AM">{{cite web |title=Black Pearl Review by Scott Yanow |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-pearl-mw0000652086 |website=AllMusic |access-date=10 January 2025}}</ref> |rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="AM">{{cite web |title=Black Pearl Review by Scott Yanow |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-pearl-mw0000652086 |website=AllMusic |access-date=10 January 2025}}</ref>
|rev2 = '']'' |rev2 = '']''
|rev2score = {{rating|3|4}}<ref name="PI">{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Francis |title=Jazz |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=July 7, 1988 |page=4E}}</ref> |rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |edition=4th}}</ref>
|rev3 = '']'' |rev3 = '']''
|rev3score = C<ref name="WS">{{cite news |last1=Stevens |first1=Peter |title=Jazz |work=The Windsor Star |date=September 17, 1988 |page=C2}}</ref> |rev3score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite book |title=MusicHound Jazz: The Essential Album Guide |date=1998 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=125}}</ref>
|rev4 = '']''
|rev4score = {{rating|3|4}}<ref name="PI">{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Francis |title=Jazz |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=July 7, 1988 |page=4E}}</ref>
|rev5 = '']''
|rev5score = C<ref name="WS">{{cite news |last1=Stevens |first1=Peter |title=Jazz |work=The Windsor Star |date=September 17, 1988 |page=C2}}</ref>
}} }}
'']'' noted that "the mood is generally dark, somber and understated—even 'Ninth Ward Strut', the third tune on the album and the first to really emphasize a beat, keeps the rhythms tightly contained."<ref name="WP">{{cite news |last1=Joyce |first1=Mike |title=The Marsalis Mainstream |work=The Washington Post |date=June 17, 1988 |page=D2}}</ref> '']'' said that the duo's "tunes are flirtatious, full of ambiguities and open ends; their solos are as often wistfully evasive as they are punchy and to the point."<ref name="GM">{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Mark |title=Jazz |work=The Globe and Mail |date=July 28, 1988 |page=C3}}</ref> '']'' stated that the "solid, post-bop improvising shows the duo's ability to move outside conventions and to compose well structured pieces."<ref name="OC">{{cite news |last1=Moody |first1=Lois |title=Too cool Marsalis heads talented sets by Blakey alumni |work=The Ottawa Citizen |date=August 26, 1988 |page=B6}}</ref> '']'' noted that "the mood is generally dark, somber and understated—even 'Ninth Ward Strut', the third tune on the album and the first to really emphasize a beat, keeps the rhythms tightly contained."<ref name="WP">{{cite news |last1=Joyce |first1=Mike |title=The Marsalis Mainstream |work=The Washington Post |date=June 17, 1988 |page=D2}}</ref> '']'' said that the duo's "tunes are flirtatious, full of ambiguities and open ends; their solos are as often wistfully evasive as they are punchy and to the point."<ref name="GM">{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Mark |title=Jazz |work=The Globe and Mail |date=July 28, 1988 |page=C3}}</ref> '']'' stated that the "solid, post-bop improvising shows the duo's ability to move outside conventions and to compose well structured pieces."<ref name="OC">{{cite news |last1=Moody |first1=Lois |title=Too cool Marsalis heads talented sets by Blakey alumni |work=The Ottawa Citizen |date=August 26, 1988 |page=B6}}</ref>


'']'' concluded that "the title cut has a haunting quality, quietly suspenseful, but some tunes are blandly vamp-like."<ref name=WS/> '']'' opined that "there is something curiously abstract, theoretical and even tentative about the record".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Simon |first1=Jeff |title=Jazz |work=The Buffalo News |date=July 1, 1988 |department=Gusto |page=32}}</ref> '']'' praised "Blanchard's finest recorded trumpet solos".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wynn |first1=Ron |title=Albums |work=The Commercial Appeal |date=July 1, 1988 |page=E23}}</ref> '']'' concluded that "the title cut has a haunting quality, quietly suspenseful, but some tunes are blandly vamp-like."<ref name=WS/> '']'' opined that "there is something curiously abstract, theoretical and even tentative about the record".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Simon |first1=Jeff |title=Jazz |work=The Buffalo News |date=July 1, 1988 |department=Gusto |page=32}}</ref> '']'' praised "Blanchard's finest recorded trumpet solos".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wynn |first1=Ron |title=Albums |work=The Commercial Appeal |date=July 1, 1988 |page=E23}}</ref> The ] opined that the duo "prove that recreating bop-era jazz needn't result in wax-museum-like records like those of ]."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Browne |first1=David |title=Pop Music |work=Daily News |date=July 10, 1988 |department=City Lights |page=23}}</ref> '']'' and '']'' included ''Black Pearl'' on their lists of the 10 best jazz albums of 1988.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Karlovits |first1=Bob |title=It was a fine year for jazz, but the great albums few and far between |work=The Pittsburgh Press |date=December 29, 1988 |page=D7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=James |title=The Year In: Jazz Records |work=The Edmonton Journal |date=December 30, 1988 |page=D4}}</ref>


==Track listing== ==Track listing==

Latest revision as of 17:00, 12 January 2025

1988 studio album by Harrison/Blanchard
Black Pearl
Studio album by Harrison/Blanchard
Released1988
GenreJazz
LabelColumbia
ProducerGeorge Petit
Harrison/Blanchard chronology
Crystal Stair
(1987) 		Black Pearl
(1988)

Black Pearl is an album by the American jazz duo Harrison/Blanchard, released in 1988. It was their final album together; Terence Blanchard began his long partnership with the director Spike Lee on School Daze, released the same year. The duo supported the album with a North American tour.

Production

The album was produced by George Petit. Donald Harrison and Blanchard were backed by Carl Allen on drums, Reginald Veal on bass, and Cyrus Chestnut on piano. Mark Whitfield played guitar on "Infinite Heart". Harrison played a C melody saxophone on some of the songs. "Somewhere" is an interpretation of Leonard Bernstein's composition. "Selim Sivad" is a paean to Miles Davis.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
MusicHound Jazz: The Essential Album Guide
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Windsor StarC

The Washington Post noted that "the mood is generally dark, somber and understated—even 'Ninth Ward Strut', the third tune on the album and the first to really emphasize a beat, keeps the rhythms tightly contained." The Globe and Mail said that the duo's "tunes are flirtatious, full of ambiguities and open ends; their solos are as often wistfully evasive as they are punchy and to the point." The Ottawa Citizen stated that the "solid, post-bop improvising shows the duo's ability to move outside conventions and to compose well structured pieces."

The Windsor Star concluded that "the title cut has a haunting quality, quietly suspenseful, but some tunes are blandly vamp-like." The Buffalo News opined that "there is something curiously abstract, theoretical and even tentative about the record". The Commercial Appeal praised "Blanchard's finest recorded trumpet solos". The New York Daily News opined that the duo "prove that recreating bop-era jazz needn't result in wax-museum-like records like those of Wynton Marsalis." The Pittsburgh Press and The Edmonton Journal included Black Pearl on their lists of the 10 best jazz albums of 1988.

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Selim Sivad" 
2."Black Pearl" 
3."Ninth Ward Strut" 
4."Infinite Heart" 
5."The Center Piece" 
6."Somewhere" 
7."Dizzy Gillespie's Hands" 
8."Toni" 
9."Birth of the Abstract" 

References

  1. Magro, Anthony (2002). Contemporary Cat: Terence Blanchard with Special Guests. Scarecrow Press. p. 83.
  2. Jones IV, James T. (September 13, 1988). "Traditionalists hit the big time". USA Today. p. 2D.
  3. Levesque, Roger (December 11, 1992). "Trumpeter alternates jazz sets, movie sets". Edmonton Journal. p. F3.
  4. McNally, Owen (July 24, 1988). "Weak sound trims jazz quintet to trio". Hartford Courant. p. B4.
  5. Lemcke, Steve (January 30, 1997). "The Desired Effect is what you get". Weekend. The Burlington Free Press. p. 5.
  6. Ross, Alan (September 25, 1988). "Jazz needs TV exposure, trumpeter says". The Indianapolis Star. p. E6.
  7. ^ "Black Pearl Review by Scott Yanow". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  8. ^ Davis, Francis (July 7, 1988). "Jazz". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 4E.
  9. ^ Joyce, Mike (June 17, 1988). "The Marsalis Mainstream". The Washington Post. p. D2.
  10. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
  11. MusicHound Jazz: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 125.
  12. ^ Stevens, Peter (September 17, 1988). "Jazz". The Windsor Star. p. C2.
  13. Miller, Mark (July 28, 1988). "Jazz". The Globe and Mail. p. C3.
  14. Moody, Lois (August 26, 1988). "Too cool Marsalis heads talented sets by Blakey alumni". The Ottawa Citizen. p. B6.
  15. Simon, Jeff (July 1, 1988). "Jazz". Gusto. The Buffalo News. p. 32.
  16. Wynn, Ron (July 1, 1988). "Albums". The Commercial Appeal. p. E23.
  17. Browne, David (July 10, 1988). "Pop Music". City Lights. Daily News. p. 23.
  18. Karlovits, Bob (December 29, 1988). "It was a fine year for jazz, but the great albums few and far between". The Pittsburgh Press. p. D7.
  19. Adams, James (December 30, 1988). "The Year In: Jazz Records". The Edmonton Journal. p. D4.
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