"Afro Blue" is the title track of Harold Mabern's 2014 album on the Smoke Sessions label, featuring a powerful rendition of Mongo Santamaria's iconic composition. Performed in D minor with a 16-bar form at a brisk 275 beats per minute in a Latin feel, this version captures the tune's hypnotic, Afro-Cuban-influenced groove while pushing it into high-energy territory. The recording features three soloists spanning a remarkable range of musical expression. Vocalist Gregory Porter, already a Grammy-winning artist by this time, opens with three choruses of vocal improvisation that showcase his deep, resonant baritone voice in an instrumental context far removed from his usual singer-songwriter settings. Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander follows with an expansive five and a half choruses, the longest solo on the entire album, building a sweeping improvisation that takes full advantage of the tune's modal foundation. Mabern closes the solo section with three choruses of piano soloing, his percussive touch well-suited to the Latin rhythmic context. The presence of Porter as a guest vocalist elevates this recording beyond a typical jazz quintet performance, and the tune's association with John Coltrane's legendary version adds historical weight. Mabern's arrangement honors the composition's African and Latin roots while filtering it through his own hard bop sensibility.
