He Had a Hat

He Had a Hat
Studio album by Jeff Lorber
Released	April 3, 2007
Genre	Smooth jazz
Label	Blue Note
Producer	Bobby Colomby
Jeff Lorber chronology
Flipside (2005) He Had a Hat (2007) Heard That (2008)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

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.^[2]

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.

Track listing

1. "Anthem For a New America"
2. "He Had a Hat"
3. "Grandma's Hands" (featuring Eric Benét)
4. "Surreptitious"
5. "All Most Blues"
6. "Orchid" (featuring Chris Botti)
7. "BC Bop"
8. "The Other Side of the Heart" (featuring Eric Benét and Paula Cole)
9. "Hudson"
10. "Super Fusion Unit"
11. "Eye Tunes"
12. "Requiem For Gandalf"
13. "Burn Brightly"
14. "Bonus Track: Deep Night"

Personnel

• Jeff Lorber – Piano & Keyboards (All Tracks)
• Eric Benet – Vocals (Track 3 & 8)
• Paula Cole – Vocals (Track 8)
• Hubert Laws – Flute (Tracks 9 & 11)
• Bob Sheppard – Tenor saxophone (Tracks 6 & 9)
• Gerald Albright – Alto saxophone (Track 3)
• Kirk Whalum – Tenor saxophone (Track 2)
• Ada Rovatti – Tenor saxophone (Track 4)
• Chris Botti – Trumpet (Tracks 6 & Bonus Track)
• Randy Brecker – Trumpet & Horn Arrangement (Track 4)
• Jacques Voyemant – Trombone (Track 2)
• Tom Scott – Horns & Horn Arrangement (Tracks 2 & 5)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – Guitar (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 8 & 10)
• Paul Brown – Guitar (Track 3)
• Russell Malone – Guitar (Track 13)
• Brian Bromberg – Bass (Tracks 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 & Bonus Track)
• Alex Al – Bass (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 & 13)
• Lenny Castro – Percussion (Tracks 2, 3, 9, 10, 12, 13 & Bonus Track)
• Abe Laboriel Jr. – Drums (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 8 & 9)
• Dave Weckl – Drums (Tracks 4 & 13)
• Vinnie Colaiuta – Drums (Tracks 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 & Bonus Track)
• Blood, Sweat & Tears – Horns (Tracks 4, 7, 9, 11 & 13)
• The Lair Studio Brass Ensemble (Tracks 5, 10 & 12)
• The Krim Symphonic Orchestra – Orchestrated by Jeremy Lubbock (Tracks 1 & 8)
• Bobby Colomby – Producer (All Tracks)

References

1. Collar, Matt. Jeff Lorber: He Had a Hat > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 07 September 2011.
2. Kasey, Katrina (May 17, 2007). "Jeff Lorber: He Had A Hat". All About Jazz.

External links

• He Had A Hat by Jeff Lorber on lorber.com