Kenny Drew
spent most of his playing career living, performing, and recording in Europe.
Everything I Love
represents one of his few solo piano outings, recorded over several sessions in late 1973.
Drew
wasn't particularly well-known as a composer, though his offerings on this CD are enjoyable. Both
"Sunset"
and
"Portrait of Mariann"
are shimmering, richly textured ballads, while the dramatic
"Flamingo"
is a dazzling showpiece, with a definite Spanish air. The haunting
"Fall"
has a melancholy air, a beautifully understated ballad. The familiar standards are just as intriguing. He slows
"Yesterdays"
to a crawl, adding a spacious disguised introduction. The deliberate take of the often blandly played
"I Can't Get Started"
also proves refreshing, bringing out a lyricism and sense of drama that many jazz pianists miss. This is easily one of the best albums of
's career. ~ Ken Dryden