ProJazz.net

Happy Frame of Mind is an album by American jazz pianist Horace Parlan featuring performances recorded for Blue Note in 1963, but not released under Parlan’s name on the label until 1986. The session was originally released under Booker Ervin’s name in 1976 as part of the Blue Note 2-LP set Back from the Gig and later released as originally intended. The album was first released on a CD in 1995.

The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4½ stars and stated: “Happy Frame of Mind finds Horace Parlan breaking away from the soul-inflected hard bop that had become his trademark, moving his music into more adventurous, post-bop territory… it’s one of Parlan’s most successful efforts, finding the perfect middle ground between accessible, entertaining jazz and more adventurous music.”

Track listing:
“Home Is Africa” (Ronnie Boykins) – 6:14
“A Tune for Richard” (Booker Ervin) – 5:44
“Back from the Gig” (Parlan) – 5:58
“Dexi” (Johnny Coles) – 5:57
“Kucheza Blues” (Randy Weston) – 6:10
“Happy Frame of Mind” (Parlan) – 8:49

Personnel:
Horace Parlan – piano
Johnny Coles – trumpet
Booker Ervin – tenor saxophone
Grant Green – guitar (#1-4, 6)
Butch Warren – bass
Billy Higgins – drums

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Released: 1986
Recorded: February 15, 1963
Studio: Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Length: 38:52
Label: Blue Note
BST 84134
Producer: Alfred Lion