''Split Second Timing'' is the debut album led by saxophonist

Craig Handy Craig Mitchell Handy (born September 25, 1962) is an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Oakland, California, he attended North Texas State University from 1981 to 1984, and following this played with Art Blakey, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Haynes, Ab ...

which was recorded in 1991 and became the first release on the

Arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...

label the following year.

Reception

The

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

review by Scott Yanow said "Tenor saxophonist Craig Handy's debut as a leader is an impressive effort. The advanced hard bop music has fine arrangements by Handy, who also contributed five of the nine pieces. At this point, Craig Handy's sound was almost distinctive, and he clearly had a great future. Recommended". On

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

, Robert Dugan stated "it is one of those debuts that causes jazz fans to salivate. Here was a charging, explosive, up to the minute group that didn't seem content to simply rehash the past. Bringing forward the mainstream with a tough, two-feet on the ground approach, ''Split-Second Timing'' served in part as an antidote to much of the conventionalism of the '80s—where, for some, it seemed as if musicians were stuck in a time warp with too much rehashing of the Miles Davis/Wayne Shorter band of the '60s."Dugan, R
Craig Handy: The Busiest Man in Jazz
accessed May 14, 2018

Track listing

All compositions by Craig Handy except where noted # "The Immediacy of Hardcore" – 6:41 # "Slippin 'n' Sliding" – 6:44 # "

You're Blasé "You're Blasé" is a jazz standard composed in 1931 by Ord Hamilton (1900–1955) with lyrics by Bruce Sievier (1894–1953) and introduced by Binnie Hale in John Murray Anderson's production of the London musical revue ''Bow Bells'' (1932). (Ha ...

" (Ord Hamilton, Bruce Sievier) – 9:18 # "Voyage" (

Kenny Barron Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Biography Born in Philadel ...

) – 7:20 # "

In a Sentimental Mood "In a Sentimental Mood" is a jazz composition by Duke Ellington. He composed the piece in 1935 and recorded it with his orchestra during the same year. Lyrics were written by Manny Kurtz; Ellington's manager Irving Mills gave himself a perc ...

" (

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

, Manny Kurtz,

Irving Mills Irving Harold Mills (born Isadore Minsky; January 16, 1894 – April 21, 1985) was an American music publisher, musician, lyricist, and jazz artist promoter. He sometimes used the pseudonyms Goody Goodwin and Joe Primrose. Personal Mills was ...

) – 4:57 # "Split Second Timing" – 7:36 # "Jogral" (

Djavan Djavan Caetano Viana (; born 27 January 1949) is a Brazilian singer-songwriter. Early life and career Djavan was born in Maceió, Brazil to a white father of Dutch descent and a black mother. He later formed the group Luz, Som, Dimensão (LSD ...

) – 5:37 # "Tori" – 10:22 # "Ms. Thang" – 8:00

Personnel

– alto saxophone, tenor saxophone *

Robin Eubanks Robin Eubanks (born October 25, 1955) is an American jazz and jazz fusion slide trombonist, the brother of guitarist Kevin Eubanks and trumpeter Duane Eubanks. His uncles are jazz pianist Ray Bryant and bassist Tommy Bryant. His mother, Vera Eub ...

– trombone * Edward Simon – piano, bongos *

Ray Drummond Ray Drummond (born November 23, 1946 in Brookline, Massachusetts) is an American jazz bassist and teacher. He also has an MBA from Stanford University, hence his linkage to the Stanford Jazz Workshop. He can be heard on hundreds of albums and co- ...

– double bass *

Ralph Peterson Jr. Ralph Peterson Jr. (May 20, 1962 – March 1, 2021) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Early life Four of Peterson's uncles and his grandfather were drummers. Peterson himself began on percussion at age three. He was raised in Pleasan ...

– drums

References

{{Authority control Arabesque Records albums Craig Handy albums 1992 albums