How Insensitive (album)

How Insensitive is the fourteenth album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson featuring performances by Pearson's band augmented by a choir, recorded over three sessions in 1969 and released on the Blue Note label.

How Insensitive
Studio album by Duke Pearson
Released	1969
Recorded	April 11, April 14 & May 5, 1969
Studio	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Jazz
Length	33:58
Label	Blue Note
Producer	Duke Pearson
Duke Pearson chronology
Now Hear This (1968) How Insensitive (1969) Merry Ole Soul (1969)

Reception

The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album with a 2-star rating, saying "Each song on How Insensitive boasts extravagant, layered arrangements that flirt with schmaltz, but the voicings and attack are so unusual, the result is a weird variation on easy listening. There is little opportunity for Pearson to showcase his tasteful playing through improvisation, yet the arrangements are so off-kilter, the music never quite works as background music. In other words, it's a very interesting failure and one of the strangest by-products of Blue Note's late-'60s commercialization".

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Track listing

All compositions by Duke Pearson except were noted

1. "Stella by Starlight" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 4:39
2. "Clara" (George Gershwin, Dubose Heyward) – 2:43
3. "Give Me Your Love" – 3:24
4. "Cristo Redentor" – 3:53
5. "Little Song" (Jack Manno) – 2:53
6. "How Insensitive" (Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Norman Gimbel) – 2:13
7. "Sandalia Dela" (Pearson, Manno) – 3:28
8. "My Love Waits (O Meu Amor Espera)" (Pearson, Manno) – 4:35
9. "Tears" (Eumir Deodato, Ray Gilbert, Paulo Valle) – 3:29
10. "Lamento" (Jobim, de Moraes) – 2:51

• Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ on April 11 (tracks 1 & 3–5), April 14 (tracks 2, 6 & 8), & May 5 (tracks 7, 9 & 10), 1969

Personnel

• Duke Pearson – piano, electric piano, arranger
• Al Gafa – guitar (tracks 1–6 & 8)
• Dorio Ferreira – guitar, percussion (tracks 7, 9 & 10)
• Bob Cranshaw – bass (tracks 1–6 & 8)
• Bebeto Jose Souza – bass (tracks 7, 9 & 10)
• Mickey Roker – drums
• Airto Moreira – percussion
• Andy Bey – lead vocals (track 2), vocals (1, 3–6 & 8)
• Flora Purim – lead vocals (tracks 7, 9 & 10)
• The New York Group Singers' Big Band – vocals (tracks 1–6 & 8)
• Jack Manno – conductor