Harry Drabkin (Tenor), Eric Gunnison (Piano), Andrew Rose (Bass), Tom Tilton (Percussion)

Music exists in the moment. While Covid shuttered jazz clubs and other venues, streaming allowed musicians to come together with an audience, at least a virtual one. In Denver, Covid killed the intimate French restaurant and jazz bar, Le Cour, but owner Janet Poth worked with nearby Classic Pianos to initiate a streaming series, “100 Nights of Jazz”, which showcased their Yamaha CX7 semi-concert grand piano. Although lacking high-end recording equipment, Dyami Clement captured our performance on DVD, and with Colin Bricker’s help at Mighty Fine Productions it became this CD.

My early days as a musician were at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where I graduated and taught for a few years before venturing into medicine. Coltrane, until his final recordings, was my biggest influence. Hence, 4 of our 9 tracks are from his albums, including the title track, After The Rain. In fact, Tom Tilton and I were working on a Coltrane program just before Covid hit and handed us an extended cancellation notice.

My return to music came after a 30+ year hiatus, during which time I was a university-based cancer physician. Excuses aside, the 9 tracks on this CD are excellent, thanks to the outstanding musicianship of Eric Gunnison, Andrew Rose and Tom Tilton. The tracks, in order, are described below. As an aside, while Tom and I frequently got together, there was no group rehearsal before the performance. That it came off so well speaks to the talents of the individual players and the fact that jazz is an improvisational art. We hope you enjoy these moments of music.

Up ‘Gainst The Wall is a Coltrane tune from his “Impressions” album. It’s a straightforward blues that sets the stage for more to come and includes nice piano and bass solos by Eric and Andrew.

I Want To Talk About You is a tune by Billy Eckstine, which was included on Coltrane’s “Live at Birdland” album. We play it in a walking tempo featuring the tenor with the initial melody and solo, then piano and bass solos followed by my restatement of melody and a cadenza, echoing the earlier recording.

After The Rain, our title track, was written by Coltrane in 1963 and released on the “Impressions” album. Pharaoh Sanders also recorded a terrific version, but I’m especially pleased with our rendition, which features some beautiful exchanges between tenor and piano, then Eric’s solo with Andrew joining the piano themes on bass. Each time I listen to their interchange, I’m drawn to a touching image of rain and clearing clouds. The cover art for this CD is by Paul Cornoyer, American, 1864–1923; The Plaza After The Rain, 1908; oil on canvas; 59 1/4 x 59 1/4 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase 65:1910.

Syeeda Song Flute is a Coltrane composition from the “Giant Steps” album. The album’s liner notes only indicate it was written for his 10 year-old daughter and that on piano it “sounded like a happy child’s song”.

Ruby My Dear is a beautiful ballad by Thelonius Monk and while Coltrane recorded this with Monk, I particularly enjoy the version by Carmen McRae on her album “Carmen Sings Monk”. What’s also notable about the recording is that Eric Gunnison was Carmen’s pianist and music director at the time. During our streaming session, Eric recounted that “Carmen was a great friend of Monk during his life and very simpatico with his style. Carmen would sing a couple tunes at the end of the night by herself at the piano and her playing was very Monkish, with dissonant voicings and her fantastic time, so that was an eye opener for me.” Eric’s piano introduction on our version recapitulates that dissonance and the tune flows wonderfully onward.

Voyage is an up tempo composition by Kenny Baron and was recorded with Stan Getz on an album of the same name released in 1986 on BlackHawk Records. Our version begins with an upbeat drum “hold on to your hat, see you at the end” kind of tempo, which gave it an extra bit of energy and excitement.

Lonnie’s Lament is another Coltrane composition, dark and moving. Tom sets it up beautifully with his mallet work and after the first chorus moves to a double-time feeling. I’ve been unable to find any background about the composition, such as who was Lonnie and his lament. Thus, there’s only the music to speak for itself.

The Peacocks is a wonderful, tender ballad written by Jimmie Rowles. It’s been recorded by several artists, including Stan Getz and Bill Evans. Our version, featuring Andrew Rose and his sensitive arco bass work, is distinctive and moving. It’s decorated by Tom’s percussion and Eric’s tasteful accompaniment before he adds his intuitive solo. The tenor improvisation floats over the chord changes and I particularly like the ending with Andrew restating the melody along with short narratives from the piano and saxophone, a bass cadenza, and my three concluding notes that bring the melody back full circle.

Young At Heart is an old standard, but this version was inspired by the Tony Williams album of the same name. It’s a semi-quiet, fun, swinging version with a stretched ending we thought would fade out, but instead takes on a life of its own.