High Spirits (album) explained

High Spirits
Type:Album
Artist:Joe Harriott
Cover:High Spirits (album).jpg
Released:1963
Recorded:September 7th, 1964
Lansdowne Studios, London, England
Genre:Jazz
Label:Columbia
33SX 1692
Producer:Denis Preston
Chronology:Joe Harriott
Prev Title:Movement
Prev Year:1963
Next Title:Indo Jazz Suite
Next Year:1965

High Spirits is an album by Jamaican saxophonist Joe Harriott featuring selections from the musical High Spirits written by Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray which was recorded in England in 1964 and released on the Columbia (UK) label.[1]

Reception

All About Jazz writer, Duncan Heining, stated: "Were it not for [his] earlier achievements, High Spirits might come more highly recommended. It is of a much lighter weight but it does have its share of pleasures. It is doubtful that Harriott could ever have made a bad record and, by most other people's standards, this would be top flight. The shortcoming of High Spirits lies in the sense that these show tunes, from the musical based on Noël Coward's play Blithe Spirit, are really fairly average West End/Broadway fare".[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray arranged by Pat Smythe

  1. "Home Sweet Heaven" - 3:37
  2. "If I Have You" - 5:56
  3. "Go Into Your Trance' - 4:18
  4. "You'd Better Love Me" - 4:20
  5. "I Know Your Heart" - 3:40
  6. "Was She Prettier Than I" - 5:30
  7. "Forever and a Day" - 5:28
  8. "Something Tells Me" - 5:12

Personnel

Notes and References

  1. http://vzone.virgin.net/davidh.taylor/joe1.htm Joe Harriott Quintet webpage
  2. Heining, D. Extended Analysis: Joe Harriott Quintet: Movement / High Spirits, All About Jazz, October 29, 2012