Hank Jones - The Oracle (EmArcy, 1989)

This post is by Dan

Hank Jones (p); Dave Holland (b); Billy Higgins (d)

Recorded March and April, 1989

It is hard to select a favorite Hank Jones album from any decade because his elegant touch at the keyboard graces so much straight-ahead jazz. I turn to The Oracle in large part for the excellence of his supporting cast: Dave Holland and Billy Higgins. 

The Oracle could easily be mistaken for a Dave Holland album. The bassist contributes three numbers: the title piece, "Blues for CM" (Charles Mingus), and "Jacob's Ladder." Plus, he solos on almost every one of the nine cuts. Higgins, by contrast, stays in the accompaniment role. Both Higgins and Jones are veteran jazzmen who have contributed to hundreds of outstanding sessions in their careers. As the relative newcomer, Holland is nominally deferential while stealing the show with his superb playing and composing.

"The Oracle," the album's title tune, is one of Holland's best compositions. It appears on several of his other albums, including Extensions (ECM, 1989), which will be featured in a forthcoming post. "The Oracle" has also been covered by other artists. 

Overall, the album supports our challenge to the "resurgence" narrative that motivates this blog. One might wish to see this album as evidence of a return to the "tradition." It's a basic piano-bass-drums trio played by artists who came to prominence in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. It's Holland, who wasn't even born when Jones arrived on the New York scene, who updates the piano trio concept by serving up a wealth of fresh ideas through his tunes and solos. Jones and Higgins show that they're equally adept at going beyond tradition. There is nothing dated about the playing of the trio. 

The first issue of The Oracle was titled Interface and was released on the Serious Productions label. The Emarcy CD and a French LP pressing were issued in 1990. None of the releases are easy to find at a reasonable price. I'm glad I found the CD when I did.