Pianist George Cables conceived this set in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of George Gershwin's death, and executed the entire recital with a keen balance of technique and taste. Virtuosity is present in abundance, in the details of both the improvisations and arrangements, yet never intrudes on Cables's overriding sense of melody and form. The collection unfolds in the manner of a live performance, with unaccompanied versions of "Embraceable You" and "Someone to Watch Over Me" separating trio performances that include three compositions from the immortal Porgy and Bess. John Heard and Ralph Penland, regular partners of the pianist when the session was recorded, provide empathetic support. This was a key album in lifting Cables from the realm of the great accompanists (for Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Frank Morgan, et al.) to his proper status as a complete musician.

with John Heard, Ralph Penland