The Kicker (album)

The Kicker is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson recorded in 1963 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1999 as a limited edition.

Reception
The Allmusic review by Ken Dryden awarded the album 4 stars and stated "The first half features the vibraphonist in a cooking hard bop session with Joe Henderson and Duke Pearson, starting with an energetic take on the normally slow ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You" and a sizzling Hutcherson original, "For Duke P." Guitarist Grant Green is added for the second half, beginning with the first recording of Henderson's "The Kicker," which became well known from its later rendition on Horace Silver's highly successful release Song for My Father".

Track listing

 * All compositions by Bobby Hutcherson except as indicated


 * 1) "If Ever I Would Leave You" (Lerner, Loewe) - 10:33
 * 2) "Mirrors" (Joe Chambers) - 6:52
 * 3) "For Duke P." - 7:54
 * 4) "The Kicker" (Joe Henderson) - 6:07
 * 5) "Step Lightly" (Henderson) - 14:18
 * 6) "Bedouin" (Pearson) - 8:11

Personnel

 * Bobby Hutcherson - vibes
 * Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
 * Duke Pearson - piano
 * Grant Green - guitar (#4-6)
 * Bob Cranshaw - bass
 * Al Harewood - drums