CD of the Day - "Ray Bryant: MCMLXX"

CD of the Day
Ray Bryant: "MCMLXX" (Atlantic/EastWest) 1970/2001

Bryant's debut album for Atlantic, produced by Joel Dorn in 1970
HDCD made in Korea & printed in Japan in 2001
Engineered by Lewis Hahn & Gene Paul @ Atlantic Recording Studios, NYC
Cover photo: Joel Brodsky

Featuring Ray Bryant (acoustic piano), Chuck Rainey (electric bass) & Jimmy Johnson (drums)
Highlight: Bryant's own funky tune "Stick With It" with a perfect string orchestration by Deodato, plus the renditions of "My Cherie Amour" and "Spinning Wheel"
Also includes another original by the leader ("Shake-A-Lady") and covers of "Let It Be," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Hey Jude" and "Unchained Melody"
Additional arrangements by Arif Mardin ("Let It Be") and Eumir Deodato ("Stick With It," "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Hey Jude")
Additional musicians: Ron Carter, King Curtis, Pepper Adams, Garnett Brown, Joe Gentle, leon Cohen, Gene Orloff, Emanuel Green & Charles McCracken, amongst others