George Cables - Some of My Favorite Things (Atlas, 1980)

This post is by Dan

George Cables (p); Tony Dumas (b); Billy Higgins (d)

Recorded February 18 and 19, 1980

George Cables will celebrate his 78th birthday later this year. He recorded his first album in 1975 and has been active as a soloist, leader, and sideman ever since. He is one of a generation of pianists representing a style of playing that incorporates the lessons learned from Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan, and a host of other influential jazz icons. He is a superb technician, whether playing familiar tunes or his own compositions (some of which are familiar too). He never seems to rely on “licks” and never plays a wrong note. That's not to say that he follows an exact script but rather that everything he chooses to play fits within his creative conception of the moment. 

Some of My Favorite Things finds Cables recording for the Japanese Atlas label. Three subsequent Atlas releases from the early 1980s are Wonderful L.A., Sleeping Bee, and Old Wine, New Bottle. Each of these records places Cables in a trio format, accompanied by well-known side men. Billy Higgins’ presence on drums on Some of My Favorite Things is almost a guarantee of a great record. I only found out about these records a couple of years ago while surfing eBay. I immediately got all four LPs in one swoop and have been enjoying them immensely ever since.

The tunes on Some of My Favorite Things are all familiar: “Body and Soul,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “You Stepped Out of a Dream,” “A Foggy Day,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “Alone Together.” Played by many other artists, this would be a dull program. Interpreted by George Cables, these tunes engage the listener with depth and nuance. “Come Rain or Come Shine” provides a sample of Cables’ frequent practice of introducing pieces with an out-of-tempo unaccompanied solo. (Similar moments were highlights of his live performances with Dexter Gordon). “A Foggy Day” is arranged as a vamp plus melody bridge – very effective. “Valentine” is played at a loose tempo that encourages conversations among the trio members. The final number, “Alone Together” is my favorite. It begins with a Tyneresque intro that leads you to expect Coltrane to come wailing in at any moment. This passage repeats after Cables plays the song’s melody and precedes his finest solo of the date. This is the best evidence on this record of my praise for “no wrong notes.” Cables really “gets it.”

This relatively obscure record, along with its companion Atlas releases, should dispel any arguments about jazz losing its way or needing a resurgence after the 1970s. George Cables spent valuable time in the groups led by Art Pepper and by Dexter Gordon. He later recorded dozens of records under his own leadership, mainly for the Contemporary, SteepleChase, and HighNote labels. Almost all of these are standout recordings worth investigating. But the obscure Some of My Favorite Things remains one of my favorite things from the 1980s.