Joe Locke & Kenny Barron - But Beautiful (SteepleChase, 1991)

Joe Locke, vibes

Kenny Barron, piano

Recorded August 1991
Steeplechase Digital Studio
Engineer: Jim Anderson

The vibes-piano duet has become a popular pairing, thanks to the many Gary Burton and Chick Corea recordings that began with Crystal Silence (ECM, 1973). Even veterans of the post-bop era like McCoy Tyner and Bobby Hutcherson took time out from their ensemble work to perform as a duo on Manhattan Moods (Blue Note, 1993). 

At the time of But Beautiful, Locke was in his early 30s and recording albums for SteepleChase records in Copenhagen. According to the liner notes, label boss Nils Winther called Locke to ask if he was ready to record his "sweet album." Teaming with Kenny Barron was a natural step in the relationship between the two artists, who had worked together earlier on two SteepleChase albums led by Eddie Henderson.

In the time since I acquired But Beautiful, the record has become more than just a "favorite," but rather a "go to" album when I wish only to settle for the very best. In contrast to the Corea-Burton duets, there are no lightning-fast displays of synchronized virtuosity. Instead, Locke explains that he chose familiar songs and adopted phrasing similar to a vocalist. The versatile Barron maps onto the concept whether comping, soloing, or playing unison lines. There is no need to single out individual tracks for analysis; all work to perfection. 

In 2022, SteepleChase reissued But Beautiful on vinyl as part of their "Audiophile Edition" series. Most of the albums in the series were originally analogue recordings pressed to vinyl. But Beautiful is one of the few that was recorded digitally and initially released on CD. To my ears, the reissued audiophile LP reveals none of the limitations of digital recording. The CD is excellent sonically, and the virtues of the original recording translate well onto high quality 180g vinyl. 

I have kept both the CD and LP versions because the CD includes 24 minutes more music for three additional tracks made during the original session in 1991. The CD-only tracks are "Spring Is Here," "The Island," and "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face."

For my review of Joe Locke's Present Tense album, go to:

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