Biography
Midway through the 1950s, pianist Abner Kenon launched his recording career after an enterprising producer recruited him to front a quintet date populated by first-rate R&B players, among them tenor saxophonist Sam "The Man" Taylor and guitarist Mickey Baker. Publicity shots captured the pianist’s polished appearance, while the ensemble’s hard-edged interplay showcased the caliber of those accompanying him. Roughly half a century later, the bulk of the material cut by Kenon and his sidemen still sits outside the reach of reissue compilations, even as interest in vintage R&B and roots rock continues to rise. As a result, any of the three Kenon 45s that occasionally surface commands serious sums from collectors. The initial Ormond release addressed familiar romantic troubles through “Looka What You Did to Me,” which assigned blame, and “Baby Come Back to Me,” which issued a plea. A later Ormond single shifted the tone toward frustration with “Waiting” and the observation “It’s the Same Thing All the Time.” That phrase could hardly describe the saxophone and guitar solos on the disc, yet the standout remains Hebra single number 101, whose pairing of “Bye Bye Blackbird” with “Hallelujah Let’s Rock” links an earlier era to the present.