Kenny Drew - Everything I Love

1973 release

Kenny Drew spent most of his playing career living, performing, and recording in Europe. Everything I Love represents one of his few solo piano outings, recorded over several sessions in late 1973. Drew wasn't particularly well-known as a composer, though his offerings on this CD are enjoyable. Both "Sunset" and "Portrait of Mariann" are shimmering, richly textured ballads, while the dramatic "Flamingo" is a dazzling showpiece, with a definite Spanish air. The haunting "Fall" has a melancholy air, a beautifully understated ballad. The familiar standards are just as intriguing. He slows"Yesterdays" to a crawl, adding a spacious disguised introduction. The deliberate take of the often blandly played "I Can't Get Started" also proves refreshing, bringing out a lyricism and sense of drama that many jazz pianists miss. This is easily one of the best albums of Kenny Drew's career.

Ken Dryden - AMG