Stars Fell On Alabama – 2019
Antonio Hart
A passionate version of the vintage standard
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Altoist Antonio Hart first became well known in the jazz world for being a member of Roy Hargrove’s quintet.
Since 1991, he has led at least ten albums of his own and has long been considered one of jazz’s leading altoists.
“Stars Fell On Alabama,” which was composed in 1934, was a standard during the swing era, but became more obscure in the 1950s until Cannonball Adderley made a famous recording of the tune.
In 2019 at a concert at Berklee that honored tenor-saxophonist Bill Pierce, Antonio Hart revived the song in a quartet with pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Ira Coleman, and drummer Ron Savage.
The opening chorus is quite passionate with Hart (who hints at Adderley) putting a lot of feeling into the melody.
It is followed by fine alto and piano solos at a medium-tempo before returning to the opening mood.
-Scott Yanow
Stan Getz