EDDIE HIGGINS QUARTET / QUINTET

MY FUNNY VALENTINE & HANDFUL OF STARS

VENUS RECORDS Double CD

CD1 MY FUNNY VALENTINE

Musicians:
Eddie Higgins, piano
Scott Hamilton, tenor sax
Jay Leonhart, bass
Joe Ascione, drums

Selections:
1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
2. I'm A Fool To Want You
3. When Sunny Gets Blue
4. Alone Together
5. My Funny Valentine
6. It's All Right With Me
7. Stardust
8. I Only Have Eyes For You
9. Don't Explain
10. Slow Boat To China
11. Imagination

Superior Jazz from Celebrated Quartet!

Through his numerous releases from Venus Records, Eddie Higgins has firmly established his position as one of the most celebrated jazz pianists in Japan.

Veteran jazz pianist Eddie Higgins has performed and recorded with many of the biggest names in jazz, including Coleman Hawkins, Jack Teagarden, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and Wayne Shorter. His discography as a bandleader include more than 25 recordings.

Here Higgins is joined by his quartet consisting of Scott Hamilton on tenor sax, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Joe Ascione on drums.

CD2 A HANDFUL OF STARS

Musicians:
Eddie Higgins, piano
Scott Hamilton, tenor sax
Ken Peplowski, tenor sax, clarinet
Jay Leonhart, bass
Joe Ascione, drums

Selections:
1. In Love In Vain
2. You Leave Me Breathless
3. A Handful Of Stars
4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
5. April In Torino
6. Night Has A Thousand Eyes
7. Flamingo
8. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
9. A Portrait Of Jenny
10. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
11. All Too Soon

The Golden Quintet Returns!

Arguably the biggest star in the Venus Records roster, pianist Eddie Higgins has released numerous trio recordings from the label. He also has an on-going collaboration with veteran tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, beginning with the 2001 quartet album Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and continuing with My Foolish Heart and My Funny Valentine.

Wonderful clarinetist and tenorist Ken Peplowski joined this union to make it a quintet on It's Magic, which won the Swing Journal 2007 Best Compilation Award. Now, the golden quintet returns with their latest, A Handful of Stars. The three giants, assisted ably by Jay Leonhart and Joe Ascione, create beautiful and romantic music in a relaxed mood.

They are not breaking any new ground here, but their masterful tastes, gentle swing and warm interactions are as lovely and comfortable as a fireplace in the middle of winter.