You Gotta Pay the Band by Abbey Lincoln/Stan Getz

Personnel includes: Abbey Lincoln (vocals); Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Maxine Roach (viola); Hank Jones (piano); Charlie Haden (bass); Mark Johnson (drums). This 1991 release followed Abbey Lincoln's THE WORLD IS FALLING DOWN and is a marvelous set of music that marked the beginning of a deserved upswing in Lincoln's popularity. This set features Stan Getz, who provides a wonderful foil for Lincoln's voice. Sadly, Getz died a few months after these sessions, the only collaboration between the two. Lincoln's own songs represent the majority of material on the album; standouts include "Bird Alone" and "When I'm Called Home." A deep sense of spirituality empowers much of this work, one the arises from the way in which Lincoln melds the emotional bearing of blues with the more cerebral forays of jazz. She's backed by a superlative trio of Hank Jones on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Mark Johnson on drums. This is an essential title for anyone interested in either Abbey Lincoln or Stan Getz.