BELL, CAREY - Harpslinger (Sealed) (CD)

Spoon - at the peak of his power - roars like a lion and blends seamlessly with tenor man Singer. This set was cut in London in June 1981. Spoon was roaring like a lion. Three players – Peter King, Mike Carr and Jim Mullen – were top British jazzmen perfectly in tune with the singer’s needs. Drummer Harold Smith was an American then living in Europe. They’re joined by one of Spoon’s contemporaries, tenor saxist Hal ‘Cornbread’ Singer, whose career path resembles Spoon’s in treading both the R&B and jazz paths. Singer’s muscular horn blends seamlessly with his old pal Spoon’s warm vocals. And Spoon finds plenty of space for his sidemen. New mix by Martin Atkinson at MARS England