2007 Jeff Lorber – He Had A Hat
He Had A Hat is a 2007 album by jazz pianist Jeff Lorber. All compositions on this album were original, except for “Grandma’s Hands” which was originally composed and performed by Bill Withers. The album, and title track, are named after the punchline of an old Jewish joke about a grandmother whose grandson is saved from drowning in the ocean after she prays to God. The joke was told to Lorber by the album’s producer, Bobby Colomby, in the recording studio, and Lorber felt it fit in well with the album’s lighthearted mood. He Had a Hat was nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, losing to Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters.
Tracks
1 Anthem For A New America (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 03:48
2 He Had A Hat (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 04:34
3 Grandma’s Hands (Bill Withers) 04:06
4 Surreptitious (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 04:10
5 All Most Blues (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 04:25
6 Orchid (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 03:54
7 BC Bop (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 02:28
8 The Other Side Of The Heart (Paula Cole; Jeff Lorber) 05:35
9 Hudson (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 03:58
10 Super Fusion Unit (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 03:52
11 Eye Tunes (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 03:50
12 Requiem For Gandalf (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 03:43
13 Burn Brightly (Jeff Lorber; Bobby Colomby) 03:52
Musicians
1 Anthem For A New America
| Bass | Brian Bromberg |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
2 He Had A Hat
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Sax (Tenor) | Kirk Whalum |
| Trombone | Jacques Voyemant |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
3 Grandma’ Hands
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Guitar | Paul Raymond Brown |
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Sax | Gerald Albright |
| Horns | Tom Scott |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
| Vocals | Eric Benet |
4 Surreptitious
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Dave Weckl |
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Flugelhorn | Steve Jankowski |
| Sax | Tom Timko |
| Sax (Tenor) | Ada Rovatti |
| Trombone | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trombone (Bass) | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trumpet | Randy Brecker |
| Trumpet | Teddy Mulet |
5 All Most Blues
| Bass | Brian Bromberg |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Clarinet (Bass) | John Mitchell |
| Flute | Bob Sheppard |
| Flute (Alto) | Jeff Driskill |
| French Horn | Steve Durnin |
| French Horn | Richard Todd |
| Sax (Alto Solo) | Tom Scott |
| Sax (Alto) | Bob Shepard |
| Trombone | Bob McChesney |
| Trombone (Bass) | Craig Gosnell |
| Trumpet | Gary Grant |
6 Orchid
| Bass | Brian Bromberg |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Trumpet | Chris Botti |
| Sax (Tenor) | Bob Sheppard |
7 BC Bop
| Bass | Brian Bromberg |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Flugelhorn | Steve Jankowski |
| Sax | Tom Timko |
| Trombone | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trombone (Bass) | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trumpet | Teddy Mulet |
8 The Other Side Of The Heart
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Vocals | Paula Cole |
| Vocals | Eric Benet |
9 Hudson
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Abe Laboriel Jr |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Flute | Hubert Laws |
| Flugelhorn | Steve Jankowski |
| Sax | Tom Timko |
| Sax (Tenor Solo) | Bob Sheppard |
| Trombone | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trombone (Bass) | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trumpet | Teddy Mulet |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
10 Super Fusion Unit
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Dave Weckl |
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Clarinet (Bass) | John Mitchell |
| Flute | Bob Shepard |
| Flute (Alto) | Jeff Driskill |
| French Horn | Steve Durnin |
| French Horn | Richard Todd |
| Sax (Alto) | Bob Sheppard |
| Trombone | Bob McChesney |
| Trombone (Bass) | Craig Gosnell |
| Trumpet | Gary Grant |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
11 Eye Tunes
| Bass | Brian Bromberg |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Flugelhorn | Steve Jankowski |
| Flute (Solo) | Hubert Laws |
| Sax | Tom Timko |
| Trombone | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trombone (Bass) | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trumpet | Teddy Mulet |
12 Requiem For Gandalf
| Bass | Brian Bromberg |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Clarinet (Bass) | John Mitchell |
| Flute | Bob Shepard |
| Flute (Alto) | Jeff Driskill |
| French Horn | Steve Durnin |
| French Horn | Richard Todd |
| Sax (Alto) | Bob Sheppard |
| Trombone | Bob McChesney |
| Trombone (Bass) | Craig Gosnell |
| Trumpet | Gary Grant |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
13 Burn Brightly
| Bass | Alex Al |
| Drums | Dave Weckl |
| Guitar (solo) | Russell Malone |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Flugelhorn | Steve Jankowski |
| Sax | Tom Timko |
| Trombone | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trombone (Bass) | Jens Wendelboe |
| Trumpet | Teddy Mulet |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
14 Bonus Track: Deep Night
| Bass | Brian Bromberg |
| Drums | Vinnie Colaiuta |
| Keyboards | Jeff Lorber |
| Trumpet | Chris Botti |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
Other Musicians
Orchestra – The Krim Symphonic Orchestra (Tracks 6, 8)
Liner Notes
Producer – Bobby Colomby
Arranged By (Horns) – Jeff Lorber (Tracks 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13)
Arranged By By (Horns) – Bobby Colomby (Tracks 7, 9, 11, 13)
Arranged By By (Horns) – Randy Brecker (Track 4)
Arranged By By (Horns) – Teddy Mulet (Track 4)
Arranged By By (Horns) – Tom Scott (Tracks 3, 5)
Orchestrated By – Jeremy Lubbock (Tracks 1, 8)
Recorded By – Jeff Lorber
Recorded By (Basic Tracks) – Dave Rideau
Recorded By (Horns Assistant) – Larry Goetz
Recorded By – Kevin Killen, Russell Malone (Track 13)
Mastered By – Chris Bellman
Mixed By – Paul Brown
Mixed by Jeff Lorber (Tracks 4, 6)
Mixed By (Assistant) – Drago Capor (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Art Direction, Design – Carla Leighton
Photography – Jeff Bender
Mastered At Bernie Grundman Mastering
Recorded At JHL Sound, Pacific Palisades, CA
Recorded At Sunset Sound
Recorded At Capitol Studios
Recorded At The Lair Studio, LA
Recorded At Avatar Studios, NY
Phonographic Copyright Blue Note
Copyright Blue Note