Al Hirt - Soul In The Horn (2018) [Hi-Res]

You'll never mistake Al Hirt for Blue Mitchell, but Soul in the Horn is nevertheless a surprisingly genuine and expressive detour into soul-jazz that captures an energy otherwise absent from the trumpeter's ho-hum catalog. The slinky "Harlem Hendoo" is the standout -- sampled by De La Soul for the Buhloone Mindstate cut "Ego Trippin Pt. 2"; it's also the reason why the record is so scarce and commands such high prices among crate diggers who wouldn't otherwise allow Hirt's records into their homes even as insulation. No less soulful is the opening cover of Booker T. & the MG's "Honey Pot" or the bluesy "Sweetlips" -- "Love Ya Baby" even gets funky, albeit in a forty-something white guy kinda way. It's a shame Hirt never made another record quite like Soul in the Horn -- with the right material and the right intentions, his talent was fierce. -- Jason Ankeny