Pacifique

Les McCann used his second post-stroke album to revisit some old favorites, perhaps not only for the comfort they bring, but to prove that he could still hold his old ground. In the end, he does more than hold it — he discovers new dimensions in old songs. Take, for example, “What’s Goin’ On,” for which McCann recorded a definitive rendition in 1972. The version here is less social commentary than introspection. McCann uses his most intimate, gentle voice to intone the verses, and the song becomes the singer’s means of accepting the obstacles of his own life. Pianist Joja Wendt lays a piano foundation where McCann is no longer able, with McCann adding flourishes from his Fender Rhodes. Since space and consideration have long been part of McCann’s approach, the slow articulations of his electric keyboard don’t feel like diminished statements, but rather carefully articulated secrets from a gentle giant. The poignancy of this recording is made explicit in a soulful reading of “What a Wonderful World,” but it is felt equally in the funky workout of “Cold Duck Time,” an implicit tribute to McCann’s recently deceased partner, Eddie Harris.