Only Time Will Tell

Even though this is pianist Mike Longo’s 26th recording since his 1962 debut, at the age of 23, he is probably still regarded by many as a “new guy on the block.” This, of course, ignores his lengthy association with Dizzy Gillespie—with whom he made eight albums, primarily from 1966-1974 and occasionally thereafter. Accompanied here by bassist Paul West and drummer Lewis Nash (both of whom also have worked with Gillespie), Longo interprets a tantalizing selection that includes two Gillespie compositions—a lively “Wheatleigh Hall” and the delightful “Just a Thought”—that the trumpeter composed as a piano feature but had never recorded. The highlight here is a beautiful, slowed-down version of Thelonious Monk’s “Brilliant Corners” that Monk played much faster on his 1956 recording. Another of this album’s treats is Oscar Pettiford’s bouncy “Bohemia After Dark.” The lovely waltzing title track—a real treat—is one of four Longo originals. A magnificently relaxed version of Eubie Blake’s “Memories of You” closes out this memorable CD.