This post is by Dan
Recorded November 4, 1985
In my earlier post about Joe Bonner's Impressions of Copenhagen (Theresa, 1981), I described his cinematic, story-telling approach to composing and playing. Although there is a film titled "Chocolate," and another named "Chocolat," Bonner's Suite for Chocolate was composed for a lady friend of his. Nonetheless, the music has the same movie-theme quality of his earlier album.
Joined by Khan Jamal on vibes, Bonner expands his signature ringing sound, especially on the opening track "Under the Big Sky." The first few bars always remind me why this is one of my favorite albums of all time, not just the decade of the 1980s. The lovely ballad "Where Did You Go?" follows and contains a wonderful solo from Bonner. And so it continues for the full 56:30 of the CD.
For this album, I recommend the CD over the LP because the two bonus tracks make solid contributions to the integrity of the album. Neither is an alternative take, and although Harold Vick's "Winter Blossom" is the only track Bonner did not compose, it fits perfectly and could easily be mistaken for a Bonner composition.
Leroy Lowe appears elsewhere in this blog on Khan Jamal's two SteepleChase albums. He fits perfectly with Bonner's concepts and plays a lyrical solo on "A Time for Living." Most of Lowe's recording credits are on European labels. He is yet another American jazz artist who gained acceptance in the Nordic countries. He died of cancer at age 55 in Stockholm.
Jesper Lundgaard is a Danish bassist with hundreds of recording credits. He follows in a long line of internationally recognized Danish bass players. His playing on Suite for Chocolate is rock solid from beginning to end, and his resonant woody bass sound comes through clearly in the mix.
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