Sonny Clark – Sonny’s Crib
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1959, Jazz
Recorded in 1957, Sonny’s Crib features a front line of Curtis Fuller, Donald Byrd, and John Coltrane with Sonny Clark on piano, Art Taylor on drums, and Paul Chambers on bass. Truly still a bebop recording, done a full year before the landmark Cool Struttin’ session, nonetheless the set produced some awesome readings of classic tunes, like the opener, “With a Song in My Heart,” with one of the knottiest Byrd solos ever. As Chambers and Taylor up the rhythmic ante and Clark comps with enormous chords in the background, the entire line solos, but it is Byrd’s that is stunning in its complexity — though Coltrane could play bebop as well as anybody. The most notable tracks on the session are the classic readings of Kurt Weill’s “Speak Low” and “News for Lulu,” the latter of which has been adopted by John Zorn as his theme. On the former, Clark’s rearrangement, with Coltrane leading the front line, is truly revelatory. Using a Latin rhythm in cut time, Clark sets up a long, 22-note melody line that moves right into Trane’s solo. He moves the key around and harmonically shifts gears as Clark follows and stays in the pocket for him while Trane uses the middle register for legato pyrotechnics. Fuller’s next and covers over the blues inherent in the tune with pure swing, before Byrd brings it back into the fold with a gorgeous counterpoint of the melody. Clark taps his way into extended harmonics on the sixths and sharpens the accents as he trounces the original key and plays double trills to get back. The latter is a smokin’ Latin take on the hard bop blues, with a staggered melodic line and a large tonal palette that gives the horn players room to explore the timbral possibilities of Clark’s colors — which are revealed in the loosest, skittering skein of bluesy phrasing this side of Horace Silver in his solo. In all, Sonny’s Crib is a phenomenal recording, one that opened the door to hard bop becoming the norm in the late ’50s, and one that drew deft, imaginative performances from all its players.
Tracklist
01. With A Song In My Heart
02. Speak Low
03. Come Rain Or Come Shine
04. Sonny’s Crib
05. News For Lulu
06. With a Song In My Heart (Alternate Take)
07. Speak Low (Alternate Take)
08. Sonny’s Crib (Alternate Take)
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Donald Byrd – The Cat Walk
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1962, Jazz
In this album, Byrd demonstrates a further stage in his career. His sense of dynamics, for instance, is acutely evident throughout the set together with his capacity to construct fresh melodic patterns. Also heartening is the fact that Byrd does not find it necessary to pound home the point that he has roots. A blues feeling courses through everything he plays, but he is also able to range through a much wider variety of moods than are several of his more self-consciously “hard” contemporaries. There is in Byrd a linkage to sunny, light-hearted jazz playing as well as to vigorously assertive self-expression.
Tracklist
01. Say You’re Mine
02. Duke’s Mixture
03. Each Time I Think Of You
04. The Cat Walk
05. Cute
06. Hello Bright Sunflower
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Kenny Burrell/Thad Jones/Frank Wess – After Hours
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1957, Jazz
This is one of the most exceptional products of the blowing session format Prestige favored in the Fifties. Thad Jones and Frank Wess, with more room than was their nightly lot in Count Basie’s band, are at their best, as is Kenny Burrell (as soloist and rhythm section player); and Mal Waldron, the backbone of Prestige’s session era, provides a perfect setting with four originals and his own playing and organizing skills.
Tracklist
01. Steamin’
02. Blue Jelly
03. Count One
04. Empty Street
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The Bill Evans Trio – Moon Beams
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1962, Jazz
Moonbeams was the first recording Bill Evans made after the death of his musical right arm, bassist Scott LaFaro. Indeed, in LaFaro, Evans found a counterpart rather than a sideman, and the music they made together over four albums showed it. Bassist Chuck Israels from Cecil Taylor and Bud Powell’s bands took his place in the band with Evans and drummer Paul Motian and Evans recorded the only possible response to the loss of LaFaro — an album of ballads. The irony on this recording is that, despite material that was so natural for Evans to play, particularly with his trademark impressionistic sound collage style, is that other than as a sideman almost ten years before, he has never been more assertive than on Moonbeams. It is as if, with the death of LaFaro, Evans’ safety net was gone and he had to lead the trio alone. And he does first and foremost by abandoning the impressionism in favor of a more rhythmic and muscular approach to harmony. The set opens with an Evans original, “RE: Person I Knew,” a modal study that looks back to his days he spent with Miles Davis. There is perhaps the signature jazz rendition of “Stairway to the Stars,” with its loping yet halting melody line and solo that is heightened by Motian’s gorgeous brush accents in the bridge section. Other selections are so well paced and sequenced the record feels like a dream, with the lovely stuttering arpeggios that fall in “If You Could See Me Now,” and the cascading interplay between Evan’s chords and Israel’s punctuation in “It Might As Well Be Spring,” a tune Evans played for the rest of his life. The set concludes with a waltz in “Very Early,” that is played at that proper tempo with great taste and delicate elegance throughout, there is no temptation by the rhythm section to charge it up or to elongate the harmonic architecture by means of juggling intervals. Moonbeams was a startling return to the recording sphere and a major advancement in his development as a leader.
Tracklist
01. Re:Person I Knew
02. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
03. I Fall In Love Too Easily
04. Stairway To The Stars
05. If You Could See Me Now
06. It Might As Well Be Spring
07. In Love In Vain
08. Very Early
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Wayne Shorter – Second Genesis
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1960, Jazz
The second of tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s three Vee Jay LPs, Second Genesis has five of Shorter’s quirky originals plus the obscure “The Ruby and the Pearl” (from a ’50s movie) and a pair of standards. Joined by a particularly strong rhythm section (pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Art Blakey), Shorter sounds quite distinctive on the advanced hard bop material.
Personnel: Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone); Cedar Walton (piano); Bob Cranshaw (bass); Art Blakey (drums).
Tracklist
01. Ruby & The Pearl
02. Pay As You Go
03. Second Genesis
04. Mr.Chariman
05. Tenderfoot
06. The Albatross
07. Getting To Know You
08. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was
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Billy Higgins – Mr.Billy Higgins
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1993, Jazz
Originally released by the tiny RIZA label, this CD reissue has one of drummer Billy Higgins’ few dates as a leader. Actually, Higgins mostly plays a supportive role as usual, backing saxophonist Gary Bias (heard in top form), pianist William Henderson, and bassist Tony Dumas. Bias, Henderson, and William James Lee contributed all of the material, which is fresh, generally modal post-bop. Well worth picking up.
Tracklist
01. Dance Of The Clones
02. John Coltrane
03. Morning Awakening
04. Humility
05. East Side Stomp
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Donald Byrd & Kenny Burrell – All Night Long
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1956, Jazz
One of the great jam session recordings of the 1950s, All Night Long was under the releaxed direcions of Kenny Burell. The guitarist gathered together some of the finest young players on the New York scene, including Donald Byrd on trumpet and tenor saxophonists Hank Mobley and Jerome Richardsom, one of the unsung heroes of the flute in jazz. Mal Waldron, Doug Watkins, and Arthur Taylor were the rhythm section. The musical formats were uncomplicated; All Night Long a blues with a brdige, Waldron’s Flickers a 16-bar pattern, Mobley’s two originals based on famliar 32-bar chord sequences. (The CD includes 2 bonus tracks). From these simple,classic bases were launched performances with the hallmarks that have long identified any Burell project: relaxation, swing, and high standards of musicianship.
Tracklist
01. All Night Long
02. Boo-Lu
03. Flickers
04. Li’l Hankie
05. Body & Soul
06. Tune Up
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Bobby Hutcherson – Stick-Up!
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1966, Jazz
Bobby Hutcherson’s Stick-Up!, an all-star date from 1966, is a bit of a departure from the musician’s regular Blue Note sessions of the time. Featuring saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Herbie Lewis, and drummer Billy Higgins, this album has a distinct straight-ahead feel in comparison with more esoteric sessions like Patterns or Components. Nonetheless, this date finds Hutcherson in top form, with excellent dexterity on the vibes and stunning solo spots that match those of his distinguished guests.
Stick-Up! is also unique in that Hutcherson himself composed all but one of the tracks, Ornette Coleman’s “Una Muy Bonita.” Hutcherson’s burning “8/4 Beat” is a very bebop flavored number that features dynamic work from Henderson. The wistful “Summer Nights” is a gentle ballad-a perfect showcase for Hutcherson’s highly sensitive mallet work. A high point of the disc is the challenging “Black Circle,” a demanding piece that Hutcherson and Henderson pull off expertly before launching into a blistering solo section. Likewise, the closing “Blues Mind Matter” is a powerful hard-bop statement from this most engaging vibraphone master.
Tracklist
01. Una Muy Bonita
02. 8/4 Beat
03. Summer Nights
04. Black Circle
05. Verse
06. Blues Mind Matter
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Sun Ra – Lanquidity
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1978, Jazz
By the time this album was recorded in 1978, Sun Ra and his Arkestra had been living in Philadelphia for a decade. They journeyed to New York City to record this project for the Philly Jazz Label. The rhythmic bearing of the music, as well as Sun Ra’s use of a Fender Rhodes electric piano (especially on the nine-and-a-half minute “Twin Stars Of Thence”), align this music with some of the post-Bitches Brew releases by Miles Davis. Ra even brought along two electric guitarists for the date, Dale Williams and Disco Kid. As late ’70s fusion-flavored jazz goes, this stands up extremely well, with its rhythmic sensibilities harking back with gusto to earlier decades in the century. The album closer is the chant-filled “There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)”–11 minutes of ever-undulating and gently propulsive groove. Ra’s piano playing is gorgeously ethereal on this number.
Tracklist
01. Lanquidity
02. Where Pathways Meet
03. That’s How I Feel
04. Twin Stars Of Thence
05. There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)
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John Coltrane Archie Shepp – New Thing at Newport
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1965, Jazz
In 1965, a breakthrough year for John Coltrane, the great saxophonist began a fervent period of exploration–acting not only as a lightning rod for the emerging free jazz movement, but becoming something of a free jazz patron. Much as he championed the music of Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy, Coltrane now used his enormous popularity to midwife the work of firebrands such as Albert Ayler and young horn players featured on Ascension.
Few players benefitted from Coltrane’s patronage as much as Florida native Archie Shepp. Coming of age in Philadelphia, Shepp was a veteran of numerous blues and R&B bands when he first came to prominence with Cecil Taylor. Coltrane got him his first contract with Impulse!, leading to Shepp’s debut as a leader, Four For Trane. A New Thing At Newport documents the original Coltrane Quartet, a few months before its dissolution, and a fine edition of the Shepp Quartet.
Coltrane’s set straddles stylistic periods, and the aesthetic tension is plain to hear. When Coltrane solos on the elliptical theme to “One Down One Up” and the lyrical incantations of “My Favorite Things,” the band takes on a fierce, freewheeling demeanor. The saxophonist stretches his melodic lines to the breaking point, reaching out for the intuitive brand of freedom his younger acolytes were then pursuing. But when Tyner solos, you can hear Garrison and Jones coalesce into the kind of rhythmic juggernaut that initially established the quartet’s reputation.
As for Shepp’s set, despite the loose ensemble trappings, the saxophonist comes across as a provocative composer with a dark romantic conception–equal parts free jazz, blues and modern theater (check out his recitation on “Skag,” the brooding lyricism of “Le Matin Des Noire,” the contrasting delicacy and bite of “Call Me By My Rightful”). As the jagged stops and starts of his opener “Rufus” demonstrate, his amorphous melodic conception is firmly rooted in the blues, and his subtle manipulations of embouchure, inflection and pitch paved the for David Murray (and inevitably drew comparisons to Ben Webster).
JOHN COLTRANE:
Personnel: John Coltrane (soprano & tenor saxophones); Father Norman O’Connor (spoken vocals); McCoy Tyner (piano); Jimmy Garrison (bass); Elvin Jones (drums).
ARCHIE SHEPP:
Personnel: Archie Shepp (spoken vocals, tenor saxophone); Billy Taylor (spoken vocals); Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone); Barre Phillips (bass); Joe Chambers (drums).
Tracklist
01. Spoken Introduction To John Coltrane’s Set By Father Norman O’Connor
02. One Down, One Up
03. My Favorite Things
04. Spoken Introduction To Archie Shepp’s Set By Billy Taylor
05. Gingerbread, Gingerbread Boy
06. Call Me By My Rightful Name
07. Scag
08. Rufus (Swung His Face At Last To The Wind, Then His Neck Snapped)
09. Le Matin Des Noire
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Freddie Hubbard – Breaking Point
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1964, Jazz
After leaving his post with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Freddie Hubbard led one of the most adventurous sessions of his career, the remarkable Breaking Point. Also of significance here is Hubbard’s depth as a composer, as he also penned four of the five stunning pieces on this disc. Hubbard breaks new ground with his playing as well. His edgy tone, relentless drive, and signature chops come together to present a highly individual sound that supports his newfound musical vision. Powerful though he was with Blakey, this session certainly finds Hubbard breaking out on his own trail.
The explosive title track’s raucous fanfare eventually settles into driving calypso that sports a heated exchange between Hubbard and saxophonist James Spaulding. The modal “Far Away” is a compelling mambo that clearly draws on Hubbard’s days with Blakey while pointing out a new direction for the trumpeter. The swinging blues of “Blue Frenzy,” Breaking Point’s most traditional cut, features superior blowing by all. Of special note, Chamber’s “Mirrors” is presented here, a classic ballad with magnificent counterpoint work by Hubbard and Spaulding (flute) on the gracefully intertwining melody line. In all, this is a classic session that is not to be missed.
Tracklist
01. Breaking Point
02. Far Away
03. Blue Frenzy
04. D Minor Mint
05. Mirrors
06. Blue Frenzy (Alternate Take)
07. Mirrors (Alternate Take)
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Pharoah Sanders – Welcome To Love
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1991, Jazz
When this was first released, the slow, straight sounds of Pharoah Sanders on a series of mostly famous ballads came as a bit of a surprise to some. Others saw Sanders as following the road of his mentor, John Coltrane, who had recorded most of these tunes himself. In retrospect, the inside playing of Sanders is less of a surprise, the saxophonist having followed that path regularly since at least the ’80s. This performance has held up well through the years, and while the thin, reserved approach is reminiscent of Coltrane, it is still marked with Pharoah’s print. The competent and thoroughly professional rhythm section of pianist William Henderson, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Eccleston W. Wainwright takes a decidedly reserved cue from the saxophonist, but each song is infused with a subtle emotional quality that simply does not let go.
Tracklist
01. You Don’t Know What Love Is
02. The Nearness Of You Dedicated To Eddy Moore
03. My One and Only Love
04. I Want To Talk About You
05. Soul Eyes
06. Nancy
07. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
08. Say It (Over and Over) Again
09. Lament
10. The Bird Song
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Sonny Rollins – Newk’s Time
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1957, Jazz
The mid-’50s Blue Note date Newk’s Time is a shining star in the Sonny Rollins catalog. The title is derived from Rollins’ nickname “Newk,” so-called because of his resemblance to baseball player Don Newcomb. It is Rollins’ fierce strength as an improviser, along with his assembled quartet of stellar guests, which makes this session so special. Still in his 20s, the saxophonist displays relentless imagination and fire in lengthy solos on standards like Miles Davis’ “Tune Up” and Kenny Dorham’s rhythmically challenging “Asiatic Raes.”
Rollins also continues his penchant for reinterpreting popular tunes, with a delightful reading of “Wonderful, Wonderful!” and “The Surrey With The Fringe On Top” on which he and Philly Joe Jones play a masterful sax/drums duet. Rollins’ only composition on the disc is his swinging “Blues For Philly Joe” in honor of the legendary drummer who displays his signature style here. Finally, a lightly swinging stroll through Johnny Mercer’s “Namely You” puts the finishing touch on a hard-bop classic.
Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Sonny Rollins; Doug Watkins (bass instrument); Wynton Kelly (piano); Philly Joe Jones (drums).
Tracklist
01. Tune Up
02. Asiatic Raes
03. Wonderful! Wonderful!
04. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
05. Blues For Philly Joe
06. Namely You
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Lionel Hampton & Stan Getz – Hamp and Getz
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1955, Jazz
In the 1950s, producer Norman Granz loved to team together swing and bop all-stars in jam session settings. One of his most inspired ideas was having vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and tenor-saxophonist Stan Getz interact in a quintet with pianist Lou Levy, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Shelly Manne. While Hampton was the definitive swing vibraphonist and the epitome of hot, Getz’s cool tone was highly influential, particularly on ballads. The two giants had not crossed paths much before their 1955 meeting.
What these masterful musicians most had in common, in addition to brilliant technique and very individual sounds, was a strong competitiveness that made their solos particularly exciting. When matched with equally talented musicians, they tended to be quite inspired, and that is what happened on this classic set. A four-song ballad medley, a couple originals and a version of Louise are all excellent but the highpoints are the explosive uptempo jams on Cherokee and Jumpin’ At The Woodside. Hamp and Getz really rip into those tunes, taking lengthy solos, riffing hard and challenging each other for chorus after chorus.
The results are quite memorable, making this a highly recommended set for fans of Hampton, Getz, bebop and straightahead jazz.
Tracklist
01. Cherokee
02. Louise
03. Ballad Medley
04. Jumpin’ At The Woodside
05. Gladys (Alternate)
06. Gladys (Master)
07. Headache
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Andrew Hill – Lift Every Voice
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1970, Jazz
A rare and beautiful Andrew Hill session, and one of the classic Blue Note entries into the “jazz and voices” sound that the label pioneered with Donald Byrd and Eddie Gale. Hill leads a core jazz group that includes Woody Shaw, Carlos Garnett, Richard Davis, and Freddie Waits — and the group is backed by a vocal ensemble with a very spiritual vibe. The sound is a lot more hip than the Donald Byrd & Voices albums, and the playing of the core jazz group is very very soulful — along the lines of Hill’s Grass Roots album, which was also from the same period. The record’s similar to the Max Roach/Billy Harper vocal work around the same time, and titles include “Ghetto Lights”, “Hey Hey”, “Two Lullabies”, and “Love Chant”. A very unique album for Andrew Hill!
Tracklist
01. Hey Hey
02. Lift Every Voice
03. Two Lullabies
04. Love Chant
05. Ghetto Lights
06. Blue Spark
07. A Tender Tale
08. Drew’s Tune
09. Mother Mercy
10. Natural Spirit
11. Such It Is
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Christian Scott Albums!
Posted by dOk | Filed under 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, Discography, Jazz
Christian Scott, born March 31, 1983 in New Orleans, Louisiana is a Grammy Award nominated jazz trumpeter, composer and producer. He has been heralded by JazzTimes magazine as “the Architect of a new commercially viable fusion” and “Jazz’s young style God.” The nephew of jazz alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, since 2006 Scott has released four studio albums, and one live recording. The trumpeter is noted for his use of an unvoiced tone, which he calls his “whisper technique.
for more info and buy check: www.christianscott.tv
2006 – Rewind That
Tracklist
01. Rewind That
02. Say It
03. Like This
04. So What
05. Rejection
06. Lay In Vein
07. She
08. Suicide
09. Caught Up
10. Paradise
11. Kiel
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2007 – Anthem
Tracklist
01. Litany Against Fear
02. Void
03. Anthem (Antediluvian Adaption)
04. Re:
05. Cease Fire
06. Dialect
07. Remains Distant
08. The Uprising
09. Katrina’s Eyes
10. The 9
11. Like That
12. Anthem (Post Diluvial Adaption) feat. Brother J of X-Clan
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2008 – Live at Newport
Tracklist
01. Died In Love
02. Litany Against Fear
03. Isadora
04. Rumor
05. Anthem
06. The Crawler
07. James Crow Jr. Esq.
08. Rewind That
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2010 – Yesterday You Said Tomorrow
Tracklist
01. K.K.P.D.
02. The Eraser
03. After All
04. Isadora
05. Angola, LA & The 13th Amendment
06. The Last Broken Heart
07. Jenacide
08. American’t
09. An Unending Repentance
10. The Roe Effect
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74 Miles Away – 74 Miles Away
Posted by dOk | Filed under 2011, Electronic, Jazz
MPM have teamed up with the Laid Back Radio collective from Brussels to add a new chapter to the metaphysics of a jazzthing. 74 Miles Away is a collaboration between Belgian jazz pianist/composer Pierre Anckaert and producers Monkey Robot (previously known as Infinitskills), curated by LBR founder Julius Mourlon. Pierre Anckaert composed and recorded four electric jazz tracks with his trio. Monkey Robot have radically reworked these four songs featuring singers AHU (One Handed Music, best known from the first Flying Lotus album), Carina Andersson (the voice behind 4 Hero’s epic take on Minnie Riperton’s “Les Fleurs”) and Miles Bonny (MPM, DJ Day). 74 Miles Away take you on a trip from the days of Bob James and Herbie Hancock to the future beat and soul sound of today. The tracks are 128kbps quality so you can buy the album on bandcamp: HERE or clicking on the widget below
check www.mpmsite.com for more info and buy.
Tracklist
01. Pierre Anckaert Trio – Rome and July
02. Pierre Anckaert Trio – One Take Groover
03. Pierre Anckaert Trio – August City Blues
04. Pierre Anckaert Trio – Chromeface
05. Monkey Robot – Finding A Place feat. Carina Andersson
06. Monkey Robot – So Amazing
07. Monkey Robot – Same Dream Again feat. AHU & Miles Bonny
08. Monkey Robot – Neverending Rhodes
Link removed in request of MPM
Milt Jackson – In a New Setting
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1963, Jazz
Milt Jackson made a number of solo albums during his long tenure with the Modern Jazz Quartet is one of his best as a leader. With young pianist McCoy Tyner and tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath, Jackson puts together a great session, kicking off with his hard driving “Sonny’s Blues.” The leader’s percussive but swinging style, plus the potent solos by Tyner and Heath, are all appealing. The only reservation about this album is the deteriorated condition of the master tape from which it was made; it is rather noticeable on several tracks, though finding a mint copy of the original record is not a viable option for most collectors. Pick this one up in a heartbeat.
Tracklist
01. Sonny’s Blues
02. I’m Gonna Laugh You Of My Life
03. Spanish Fly
04. No Moon At All
05. Slow Death
06. Clay’s Blues
07. Lazy Melody
08. Project S
09. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
10. That’s In
11. Ineffable
12. The Other Half Of Me
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Donald Byrd – A New Perspective
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1963, Jazz
A New Perspective stands out from most other Blue Note releases of the era. A groundbreaking record in its use of a gospel choir in a jazz setting, it’s unlike anything Blue Note had released before. In addition to the eight-person choir and arrangements by Duke Pearson, Donald Byrd works with a septet that includes pianist Herbie Hancock, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and saxophonist Hank Mobley.
Pearson contributes two compositions, the easily swinging “Chant” and “Cristo Redentor,” a stately, ghostly tune that became a hit on the album’s release. In the arrangements, the choir functions as an instrument, with voices closely recorded, making its presence intimate and palpable. The septet performs beautifully, with Burrell’s guitar and Donald Best’s vibes providing shimmering contrast to the horns on the aforementioned tunes, and on the Byrd originals “Elijah” and “The Black Disciple.” Distinctive and inventive, A New Perspective is a high watermark in Byrd’s discography.
Personnel includes: Donald Byrd (trumpet); Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Donald Best (vibraphone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Butch Warren (bass); Lex Humphries (drums).
Tracklist
01. Eljah
02. Beast Of Burden
03. Crist Redentor
04. The Black Disciple
05. Chant
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Art Blakey Quartet – Jazz Message
Posted by dOk | Filed under 1963, Jazz
Taking a step outside his Jazz Messengers ensemble, Art Blakey recorded a leisurely session for Impulse! In 1963 with friend Sonny Stitt and the then youngsters McCoy Tyner and Art Davis. Jazz Message, however, is not an insignificant session, but rather a grand documentation of the natural talent of these remarkable artists. Indeed, the session has the feel of a Sunday afternoon jam where four friends have come together to enjoy each other’s company and talents. The group’s loose approach, with little regard for any details save the music, gives the tunes a freshness that is sometimes lacking when arrangements are overly complicated.
From the opening romp of “Cafe” the energy flows freely as Blakey drives the quartet with his powerful drumming. Gershwin’s perennial “Summertime” is given an easy-going swing and provides a pleasant take on the often-overworked standard. Likewise, Tyner’s “Blues Rack” is a simple traditional blues that serves as a springboard for some fine blowing by all. Finally, the always uplifting “The Song Is You” is a gentle swinger that closes the session with a smile that, in the end, is the best message of all.
Tracklist
01. Cafe
02. Just Knock On My Door
03. Summertime
04. Blues Back
05. Sunday
06. The Song Is You
