“But Not Really” – Les McCann (p); Victor Gaskin (b); Paul Humphrey (dr)

One man comes to mind when the words ‘funk’ and ‘fun’ are connected with a jazz musician: Les McCann. The man from Kentucky, self-taught and a true heavyweight on the delicate piano stool, dedicated his whole life on the road to performing funk. He was highly successful – whether playing with his trio or with Eddie Harris, as a pianist or as a singer, in a club or on a big stage – and he always succeeded in captivating his audience.
On “But Not Really”, the first of seven LPs on the Limelight label, he plays in a trio with Victor Gaskin on the bass and Paul Humphrey on drums. The three musicians were carefully guided their producer, Jack Tracy and the liner notes describes their close collaboration. “A Little Three-Four” is highly recommended listening, as is “Yours Is My Heart Alone” which fans of Lehar’s operettas will enjoy singing along to while others will appreciate the fantastic improvisations in this popular piece which Les McCann performs less showily than Oscar Peterson in his version but with more humour and emotion.
This Limelight album offers piano trio jazz that is free from intellectual encumbrance – it is jazz for the soul. Recorded in December 1964, the LP is now available once again after almost 60 years with the original outstanding and lavish cover artwork!

Recording: December 1964 at Radio Recorders, Hollywood
Production: Jack Tracy