Left alone revisited

Description

Mal Waldron, the longtime pianist for Billie Holiday in her later years, ended his life with a recording dedicated to the singer he loved so much. A perfect ending, as the circle seems complete. In 1986, "Left Alone" saw Waldron revisiting Lady Day alongside Jackie McLean. In 2002, it was with Archie Shepp that the pianist once again explored the repertoire of his former boss. The meeting is all the more interesting: these two men were at one time champions of free jazz, after being trained in the classic bop school. Waldron with Billie, Shepp with Coltrane. As they aged, both have tempered their anger, and a minimalist wisdom replaces the storms of yesterday. The pianist is more monk-like than ever, and Shepp now evokes Coleman Hawkins. But years of boldness and explorations of all kinds cannot be erased with old age. Throughout these ten tracks, classics of Billie, the two men continue to surprise and express themselves in a language of dazzling clarity. "Left Alone Revisited," Mal Waldron's final gift, is an album that we won't soon forget.