My Funny Valentine (Larry Willis album) explained

My Funny Valentine
Type:	Album
Cover:	My Funny Valentine (Larry Willis album).jpg
Released:	1988
Recorded:	February 1988
Studio:	Sound On Sound Recording, New York, NY
Genre:	Jazz
Length:	63:07 CD release with additional tracks
Label:	Jazz City C28Y0352
Producer:	Yoshiaki Masuo, Tony Ariga
Chronology:	Larry Willis
Prev Title:	Inner Crisis
Prev Year:	1973
Next Title:	Just in Time
Next Year:	1989

My Funny Valentine is an album by American jazz pianist Larry Willis recorded in 1988 and originally released on the Japanese Jazz City label before being reissued in the US on Evidence Music in 1998.^[1]

Reception

Allmusic's Michael G. Nastos said: "the Willis heard on 1988's enjoyable, if conventional, My Funny Valentine is a more conservative post-bopper/hard bopper ... Willis plays the acoustic piano exclusively on this CD, and standards are a high priority. Nothing cutting-edge occurs, just straight-ahead jazz that's honest, warm and melodic. ... all of which demonstrate how sensitive a ballad player he can be".

Track listing

1. "For Openers" (Kenny Garrett) – 5:46
2. "It Could Happen to You" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) – 3:18
3. "Blues for Wynton Kelly" (Larry Willis) – 6:32
4. "Who's Kidding Who?" (Gerard D'Angelo) – 8:52
5. "Rhythm-a-Ning" (Thelonious Monk) – 6:04
6. "Blood Count" (Billy Strayhorn) – 6:29
7. "My Shining Hour/I'll Be Seeing You" (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer/ Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal) – 6:46
8. "Lazy Afternoon" (Jerome Moross, John La Touche) – 5:16
9. "Ethiopia" (Willis) – 8:02
10. "My Funny Valentine" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 6:02

Personnel

• Larry Willis – piano
• Kenny Garrett – alto saxophone (tracks 1, 5 & 9)
• George Mraz – bass
• Al Foster – drums

Notes and References

1. http://www.jazzlists.com/SJ_Larry_Willis.htm Jazzlists: Larry Willis discography