It Could Only Happen with You

It Could Only Happen with You is the final album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson featuring performances recorded in 1970 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1974.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

The AllMusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine states "Duke Pearson followed the conventions of the time and cut a smooth, commercially-oriented jazz album that made allusions to traditional and contemporary pop, hard bop, soul-jazz and bossa nova... Although the record is a pleasant artifact of its time, it's a rather sad, undistinguished way to close out Pearson's career.

Track listing

"Gira, Girou (Round and Round)" (Milton Nascimento) – 7:20
"It Could Only Happen with You" (Antônio Carlos Jobim, Louis Oliveira, Ray Gilbert) – 3:35
"Book's Bossa" (Walter Booker, Cedar Walton) – 6:35
"Hermeto" (Hermeto Pascoal) – 5:35
"Lost in the Stars" (Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson) – 3:27
"Stormy" (Buddy Buie, J. R. Cobb) – 3:35
"Emily" (Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer) – 4:00

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs NJ on February 13 (track 7) & April 10 (tracks 1–6), 1970

Personnel

Duke Pearson – piano, electric piano
Burt Collins, Joe Shepley (tracks 1–6) – trumpet
Kenny Rupp – trombone
Hermeto Pascoal – flute, guitar, bass (tracks 1–6)
Theo - guitar, bass (tracks 1–4, 6)
Jerry Dodgion (track 8). Al Gibbons (tracks 1–7) – alto saxophone, alto flute
Frank Foster – tenor saxophone (tracks 1–6)
Lew Tabackin – tenor saxophone, flute (track 7)
Bob Cranshaw – bass, electric bass (tracks 1–6)
Ron Carter – bass (track 7)
Mickey Roker – drums
Flora Purim – vocals (tracks 1, 2 & 6)

References

Duke Pearson discography accessed September 13, 2010
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Duke Pearson – It Could Only Happen with You: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved September 13, 2010.

v t e Duke Pearson
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release.
As leader or co-leader	Profile (1959) Tender Feelin's (1959) Angel Eyes (1961–62) Dedication! (1961) Hush! (1962) Wahoo! (1964) Honeybuns (1965) Prairie Dog (1966) Sweet Honey Bee (1966) The Right Touch (1967) Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band (1967–68) I Don't Care Who Knows It (1968–70) Now Hear This (1968) The Phantom (1968) How Insensitive (1969) Merry Ole Soul (1969) It Could Only Happen with You (1970)
With Donald Byrd	Fuego (1959) At the Half Note Cafe (1960) Byrd in Flight (1960) The Cat Walk (1961) A New Perspective (1963) Fancy Free (1969) Kofi (1969–70) Electric Byrd (1970)
With others	Little Johnny C (Johnny Coles, 1963) Idle Moments (Grant Green, 1963) The Kicker (Bobby Hutcherson, 1963) Mean What You Say (Thad Jones and Pepper Adams, 1966)
Arranger only	I'm Tryin' to Get Home (for Donald Byrd]], 1964) Lush Life (for Lou Donaldson, 1967) Am I Blue (for Grant Green, 1963) Boss Horn (for Blue Mitchell, 1966) Heads Up! (for Blue Mitchell, 1968) A Slice of the Top (for Hank Mobley, 1966) Standards (for Lee Morgan, 1967) Rough 'n' Tumble (for Stanley Turrentine, 1966) A Bluish Bag (for Stanley Turrentine, 1967) The Return of the Prodigal Son (for Stanley Turrentine, 1967) The Look of Love (for Stanley Turrentine, 1968)

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