Just in Time

by Earma Thompson

Overview

It's often true in jazz that many talented musicians are under the radar of the average fan because they choose not to travel much outside their home cities or record only sporadically, usually for locally based labels. Pianist Earma Thompson, who evidently belatedly made her debut (after performing for over half a century) with this 2004 release for The Sirens, has chops to spare throughout this rewarding CD, mostly duets with bassist John Whitfield. Her playfulness comes through in the swinging take of "Just in Time," while Thompson's spunky side comes through in the bop favorite "Billie's Bounce." She adds a bossa nova beat to her hip interpretation of "You Stepped Out of a Dream," then adds a dark undercurrent to a swinging take of "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise." It is also hard to ignore the gutsy, blues-drenched interpretation of "After Hours" and a driving, soulful take of "Back at the Chicken Shack." Tenor saxophonist John Brumbach is added for Miles Davis' "Vierd Blues" and Gene Ammons' "Ge-ru." Hopefully a follow-up CD is already in the works. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden

Product Details

Release Date:	06/29/2004
Label:	Sirens
UPC:	0820718500827
Rank:	259714

Tracks

1. Billie's Bounce
2. After Hours
3. Just in Time
4. Ger-Ru
5. You Stepped Out of a Dream
6. Softly, As in the Morning Sunrise
7. Vierd Blues
8. I Hear a Rhapsody
9. I Remember You
10. Witchcraft
11. Back at the Chicken Shack

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Earma Thompson   Primary Artist,Piano
John Whitfield   Bass
John Brumbach   Sax (Tenor)

Technical Credits

Avery Parrish   Composer
Betty Comden   Composer
Joanie Pallatto   Engineer,Mixing
Cy Coleman   Composer
John Whitfield   Mixing
Gene Ammons   Composer
Victor Schertzinger   Composer
Charlie Parker   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Dick Gasparre   Composer
Jule Styne   Composer
Nacio Herb Brown   Composer
Miles Davis   Composer
Buddy Feyne   Composer
Adolph Green   Composer
Gus Kahn   Composer
Jimmy Smith   Composer
Carolyn Leigh   Composer
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer
Paul Natkin   Photography
Al Brandtner   Design
Steven B. Dolins   Mixing,Producer
Robert Bruce   Composer
Earma Thompson   Mixing
Jack Baker   Composer