KENO DUKE / CONTEMPORARIES – Sense Of Values (Strata-East / LP-1974)

Label: Strata-East – SES-7416

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: US / Released: 1974

Style: Contemporary Jazz, Modal, Hard Bop

Recorded, mixed and edited at Minot Studios, White Plains, N.Y.

Graphics – Theodore Plair

Painting [Cover] – Roland Bloch

Photography By – Manos Angelakis

Engineer – Ron Carran

Produced by Ja Co Productions

Matrix / Runout (Side A Etched): SES-7416-A

Matrix / Runout (Side B Etched): SES-7416-B

A1 - Sense Of Values ................................................................................... 4:48

A2 - Mirage ................................................................................................... 9:25

A3 - Tibiron ................................................................................................... 5:50

B1 - Too Late, Fall Back Baby ...................................................................... 7:00

B2 - D.R.T.  ................................................................................................... 8:16

B3 - Bajan-Bajan .......................................................................................... 6:12

Keno Duke – drums, percussion

George Coleman – tenor saxophone

Harold Mabern – piano

Lisle Atkinson – bass

Frank Strozier – flute, alto saxophone

KENO DUKE – Sense of Values (1974) Strata-East-7416.  An amazing modal / spiritual session the great drummer Keno Duke joined by Harold Mabern on piano, George Coleman on tenor sax, Lisle Atkinson on bass and Frank Strozier on alto sax and flute. This is a rare and sought-after release on the great Strata-East Records label.

Sustained rhythmic momentum was never a problem for Keno Duke's jazz quintet, Contemporaries, on this album you will enjoy in selections that were brimming with imagination, color and solo excitement.

Man for man, the group is exceptionally strong. It has two outstanding and contrasting saxophonists—George Coleman, a tenor saxophonist who is a solid, consistent follower of the John Coltrane style, and Frank Strozier, an altoist whose clean, precisely shaped notes and flowing phrases sound like a nineteen‐seventies Jimmy Dorsey. Harold Mabern has long been a pianist with a startling manner of overwhelming the piano in his solos and providing unusually strong background for other soloists, here surely complemented by Lisle Atkinson on bass and Mr. Duke on drums.

When their talents were applied to the fresh, provocative lines and harmonies of such pieces as “Mirage”, “Too Late, Fall Back Baby”, "D.R.T." or "Bajan-Bajan", they produced jazz that sparkled with vitality and gave Mr. Mabern and Mr. Strozier stimulating showcases for their solo talents. These performances maintained so high and distinctive a level. This is a beautiful spiritual jazz.

Review By John S. Wilsonfeb

If you find it, buy this album!