The Hal Singer Quintet Live in Paris

Smooth and sophisticated – that is how we might define the sound of Hal Singer, a bandleader and saxophonist who blended jazz and R&B. Yet the accessibility he offered belied a tough-edged musicianship and hard-won intricacy, something that can be heard more clearly after a few listens once you tune in to his delicate, braying timbres and his masterful sense for timing. It was in New York, in the 40s, 50s and 60s, that he developed his touch, penning the standard "Cornbread," which would eventually become his nickname, and working alongside the likes of Roy Eldridge and Coleman Hawkins. Singer moved there in his early 20s from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was a survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. 

By the mid-60s singer was touring Europe with legendary pianist Earl Hines and decided to stay in Paris. During this time he collaborated with American icons passing through, like Duke Ellington and his Orchestra and continued to perform as a bandleader. Here, in Paris in 1970, he delivers a varied repertoire that includes standards such as "Autumn Leaves" and "Summertime" as well as Cannonball Adderley blues pieces and more.