Pianist Bob Hayes, born the same year as Charles Lindbergh's historic
non-stop transatlantic flight, chose music as the anchor in his life... and as
this wonderful collection of American Standards reveals, how fortunate for us!
Bob came of age when, as musicologist/composer Gene
Lees has observed, "great music was popular and popular music was
great." The influence of the master composers of that time, the
Gershwins, Irving Berlin, Col Porter and Harold Arlen shine through in
Bob's interpretations of their glorious melodies... and it is just this
adulation and affinity for great songs that has helped to fill clubs and
concert halls here at home and beyond for the more than 60 years he has
been playing.
He's also been an inspiration to some of the truly
great players who, like Bob, fell in love with Cape Cod and elected to
call this area their home... Bobby Hackett, Lou Colombo, Dick Johnson,
George Masso, Marshall Wood, and Gray Sargent are among the legends he
has collaborated with.
On this recording he is supported by
the wonderful bassist Laird Boles and someone who has been both a
personal and professional source of pride, Bob's 19-year-old grandson
Kareem Sanjaghi. Because of his grandfather's influence, Kareem
started playing drums at 11 and through his sheer talent and dedication,
he played his first gig with Lou Colombo when he was only 13!
This marvelous CD closely represents what Bob Hayes
has been doing for years. He came to the studio prepared to
play... there were no rehearsals, no arrangements, no over dubbing, just
superb accompanists and decades of experience in bringing to life the
songs that are the soundtrack to the American experience.
Dick Golden, George Washington University, XM
Satellite Radio
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