Mary Lou Williams emerged in the early '70s after a long period in which she worked in the Catholic church to resume her always stimulating career as a jazz pianist. On this CD reissue, one of her finest recordings of her later years has been brought back and augmented by two previously unissued performances.
Williams performs in duos and trios with bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Mickey Roker, uses
Zita Carno on second piano during a couple of the more avant-garde pieces, and also performs some trios with bassist Milton Suggs and Tony Waters on congas. Rather than sounding like a veteran of the 1920s,
Mary Lou Williams sounds 40 years younger, shows the influence of
McCoy Tyner, and hints at free jazz in spots. An often surprising set of modern jazz. ~ Scott Yanow