Supreme [Digipak]

This 1966 live recording is from the end of Hawkins' career, and was to be his penultimate record. While this recording cannot compare to Hawkins' previous work, strong moments between the members of the rhythm section (Barry Harris on piano, Gene Taylor on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums) makes this an exciting listen. Moreover, despite Hawkins' own sub-par performance, the audience applauds enthusiastically after every chorus he plays, spurning him on to greater heights until, by the album's closer, he performs nearly up to snuff. On the final tune, "Ow," Hawkins trades phrases with Harris displaying a rich and eloquent musical vocabulary. Harris himself plays a particularly inspired solo on the Quincy Jones ballad "Quintessence" and Hawkins' version of "Body & Soul," while not as authoritative as many of his earlier versions, is nonetheless passionate and yearning. For fans of "the Bean," this album, if nothing else, is of great historical interest.