Hard bop is proving to be the most durable of all jazz styles. Succeeding generations come up with new twists, but the Cookers are a band of seven true veterans who manage to sound fresher and tougher than any of them. Their unique sound brings with it echoes of the bands they’ve worked with – Max Roach, Herbie Hancock, the Jazz Messengers – not as a deliberate revival but because it’s their natural style. And each has his own strong musical personality. Tenor saxophonist Billy Harper has a wild, passionate streak; pianist George Cables is firmly grounded, with a touch of lyricism; trumpeter Eddie Henderson is excitingly mercurial. Former sidemen, now genuine all-stars.
