Legendary jazz drummer Louis Hayes celebrates his 80^th birthday with this first album as a leader on the Blue Note label. He has recorded as a leader dozens of times on other labels and he has a long history as a sideman for the label. His 60 year-plus history includes tenures with Yusef Lateef, Kenny Burrell and others in his Detroit hometown before being called to New York as a 19 year old to play with Horace Silver, with whom he played and recorded for a mere three years == but what impactful years they were! Following that brief employment he would go on to play and record with Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, George Benson and a who’s-who of jazz. The current album. Co-produced by label president Don Was and bassist Dezron Douglas, features Steve Nelson (vibraphone), David Bryant (piano), Abraham Burton (tenor), and Josh Evans (trumpet). The sound is timeless. The opening Ecaroh (Horace spelled backward) sees Hayes mastering the drum set with the verve and enthusiasm of that same teenaged kid who first encountered the great pianist’s music half a century ago. The classic Senor Blues (with Burton and Evans shining), Juicy Lucy and the swinging St. Vitus are reprised songs that he recorded with Silver. Gregory Porter sings on Song For My Father, originally made popular by vocalist Leon Thomas with Silver. His take is slightly bluesier, but maintains the spirit of the original. The rest of the tracks are classics from Silver, with Hastings Street, a tribute to the hub of Detroit’s black entertainment district in the 40s and 50s written by Hayes. It took a long while to record his label debut and it was worth the wait. Outstanding album.