Al Tanner Quintet - Featuring William "Smiley" Winters
Takin' care of natural business...dig?!
TOUCHÉ Records TRCD 100

Introduction; Zaltanica; The Magi; Kuba!; Poor-me; Bronson's Blues; *Lobby Lizards; Rolon's Groove (48.52) Al Tanner, piano; William "Smiley" Winters, drums; George Alexander, trumpet, flugelhorn; Roy Henderson, tenor sax; Ed Williams, *George McNeal, bass

This local San Francisco Bay Area group show amazing chops on this hip sample of their talents. Al Tanner is the Guru who guides the team, which boasts some pretty useful soloists in both horn players. However, it is the leader Al who grooves and swings the most, together with the late "Smiley" Winters showing terrific technical prowess at the drums.

This is the West Coast answer to Blue Note Hard Bop, which shows that quality Jazz can appear in the most unlikely places.

by Al Merritt


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