Dexter Gordon - Doin' Allright (Remastered 2015)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:18)  1. I Was Doing All Right
( 7:27)  2. You've Changed
( 5:45)  3. For Regulars Only
(12:21)  4. Society Red
( 6:14)  5. It's You Or No One
( 6:14)  6. I Want More
( 6:21)  7. For Regulars Only (Alternate Take)

From the first track of this record in Blue Note's 45rpm double-disc reissue series tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon certainly seems to be doing just fine. That opener, "I Was Doing All Right," lilts along with a nice 'n' easy, early 1960s treatment of an insistently positive George Gershwin melody. Gordon doesn't rush his solo, but allows it to intensify naturally from the surrounding breeze. He explores the entire range of his instrument, allowing his pace to ebb and flow while never jettisoning himself from the track of comfortable swing. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard enters on and retains a brasher course, slashing through a stream of jagged, harmonic lines. Pianist Horace Parlan goes farther afield, injecting the tune with some passing abstract figures. Coming back from the R&B-tinged fade with which he ends the first track, Gordon enters "You've Changed" with acrobatic flips and spirals before settling his horn into the rhythm's crackling warmth. Again, the saxophonist leaves no point on his horn's tonal spectrum untouched, all along dipping into the sugary pools of regret left by the passage of time. Hubbard traces the low, stretched breaths of drummer Al Harewood's brushes, then works the harmony and, later, moans along with Gordon as the leader makes his return. "For Regulars Only," the first of two Gordon originals, lifts the record's spirits back to its opening contentment. Together, Gordon and Hubbard graph a sharp-toothed, yet pleasant, bop melody. Alone, Gordon's tone is bright and forceful, his lines angular and dancing. 

Hubbard, for whom this racing, riff-heavy tune seems tailor-made, surprises a bit by softening the edges of his blowing, rather than cutting into the listener with the expected blare. It's a relaxed, somewhat against-type approach that works to excellent effect. Parlan, for his part, operates here like a film editor, attaching several unresolved passages into a series of piano jump-cuts before the horns return to restate the theme. Yet, despite the solid work heard throughout the first three numbers, the album's lasting value resides on what originally constituted its second side (and which here comprises the second disc). "Society Red," the second Gordon original, is a relaxed, yet powerful, blues that first hands the solo reins to Hubbard. He's in no hurry to jolt the listener, but rides the relaxed vibe awhile. Soon, however, he enters his familiar blowing terrain, spitting piercing shots to the heavens. Gordon revisits some of these volleys with a deeper, warmer sound and the occasional growl. Much as in the album's opener, he steadily builds his story, ever filling the available space with more information more details without ever disrupting the flow, like a boxer expertly working the speed bag. Parlan applies a soft, rolling touch, skewing the blues into an abstract take on ragtime. This nice recollection of jazz's first steps gives way to bassist George Andrew Tucker's only individual statement on the record: a loping bend to the space-time continuum. "It's You or No One," brings all the aforementioned together to close the album. 

A burning bop pow-wow, it's awash with quick, flowing lines, staccato shots, trills and R&B warble. Gordon turns in what may be his best solo of the set here, augmenting the curls of his Spirograph drawing with sharp cutbacks and drooping sighs. While brief, Hubbard's sprinting effort also impresses, retaining through the speed the kind of warmth that made Miles Davis' trumpet smile. Parlan spins a spiked wheel, twirling through cyclical motifs with a cubist touch. The horns blow in to clear the field, then trade with Tucker's bass before giving way to Harewood's brief, but aggressive drum solo. Gordon and Hubbard then join forces a last time to see the album out with a final battle charge. It's a glorious send-off for an album that's rote procedure in spots, but comes on in the second half with two inspired hard bop attacks. ~ Matt Marshall https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dexter-gordon-doin-allright-by-matt-marshall.php

Personnel: Dexter Gordon, tenor sax; Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Horace Parlan, piano; George Tucker, bass; Al Harewood, drums.

Doin' Allright

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Eric Dolphy - The Essential Eric Dolphy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:01
Size: 145,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:57)  1. G.W.
(5:11)  2. Les - Rudy Van Gelder Remaster
(6:40)  3. The Meetin'
(5:00)  4. Feathers
(2:43)  5. Eclipse
(8:42)  6. Ode To Charlie Parker
(8:01)  7. Mrs. Parker Of K.C. (Bird's Mother)
(9:53)  8. Ralph's New Blues
(8:50)  9. Status Seeking

This is strictly for the budget-conscious. It does have some valuable material, but no anthology can accurately assess Dolphy's importance. 

~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-essential-eric-dolphy-mw0000198039

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy; Bass – George Tucker; Drums – Roy Haynes; Piano – Jaki Byard; Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard

The Essential Eric Dolphy

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Booker Ervin - That's It

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:18
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:57)  1. Mojo
( 4:32)  2. Uranus
( 8:04)  3. Poinciana
( 7:12)  4. Speak Low
(10:59)  5. Booker's Blues
( 4:32)  6. Boo

Booker Ervin, who always had a very unique sound on the tenor, is heard in prime form on his quartet set with pianist Horace Parlan, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood. In virtually all cases, the jazz and blues musicians who recorded for Candid in 1960-61 (during its original brief existence) were inspired and played more creatively than they did for other labels. That fact is true for Ervin, even if he never made an indifferent record. 

In addition to "Poinciana" and "Speak Low," Ervin's quartet (which was a regular if short-lived group) performs four of the leader's originals; best known is "Booker's Blues." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/thats-it-mw0000196833

Personnel:  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone; Horace Parlan - piano; George Tucker - bass; Al Harewood - drums

That's It

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Jimmy Woods Sextet, Elvin Jones - Conflict

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Conflict
(6:01)  2. Coming Home
(7:57)  3. Aim
(6:44)  4. Apart Together
(5:50)  5. Look to Your Heart
(6:32)  6. Pazmuerte
(4:54)  7. Conflict (Alt. Take)
(7:12)  8. Aim (Alt. Take)
(5:53)  9. Look to Your Heart (Alt. Take)

Jimmy Woods was a talented musician who made few recorded appearances before vanishing into obscurity. Conflict is the second of two '60s solo records on Contemporary, the first already reissued in a previous batch of limited edition releases. It’s tempting to judge Woods solely on the company he keeps certainly the likes of Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, and Harold Land don’t have to be bothered with middling talent. However, Woods proves he can more than handle the responsibilities on a program consisting entirely of forward-thinking, advanced hard bop originals, which also utilize inventive call-and-response riffs. “Conflict” is a lopsided blues with an edgy vamp from Hill which allows the front line to indulge in some grand exploratory work. On the other hand, “Apart Together” features a complicated head and the type of restless chord progressions that serious musicians love to dig in to. Woods demonstrates his ability to handle the changes and aptly deserves the company he keeps. Elvin Jones fits in his usual thunderous moments, and the rest of the sidemen, Hill and Carmell Jones in particular, are models of creative expression. Contemporary signed Woods after Ornette Coleman’s departure to Atlantic. While not quite an equal replacement, Woods proved that he was a talented musician whose time in the spotlight, for whatever reason, was brief. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/conflict-jimmy-woods-fantasy-jazz-review-by-david-rickert.php

Personnel: Jimmy Woods-alto sax; Carmell Jones-trumpet; Andrew Hill-piano; George Tucker-bass; Elvin Jones-drums.

Conflict

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Horace Parlan - Up & Down

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:58
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:49)  1. The Book's Beat
( 6:10)  2. Up And Down
( 7:08)  3. Fugee
(11:41)  4. The Other Part Of Town
( 4:06)  5. Lonely Blues
( 6:02)  6. Light Blue

I have a new hero: Pianist Horace Parlan. Until recently, I had heard of Parlan, but never really heard him. I certainly never knew his back story. It's inspirational and his music is pretty damn good, too. Parlan had a handicap. As a child, he lost some function in his right hand due to polio. Various bios disagree on the extent of the loss. Some say two fingers, others three. Either way, it's the kind of injury that makes a career as a pianist sound impossible. Yet Parlan found a way to compensate something to do with developing a powerful left hand. In any event, he had a long, successful career as a bop pianist. Of course the music stands on its own, regardless of how it's made. Handicap or no handicap, if the music weren't terrific, there would be nothing to talk about. And it is terrific. (For example, catch him on Charles Mingus' 1959 classic Mingus Ah Um.)  Up and Down, a 1961 bop-and-blues album, is the perfect introduction to Horace Parlan. It features three remarkable solists: Parlan on piano, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Grant Green on guitar. Together, they make wonderful, swinging music that borders on soul-jazz.  While some pianists made their names with jaw-dropping speed and technique think Art Tatum or Oscar Peterson  Parlan (by necessity or choice) goes the other way. He is wonderfully inventive. At times, he sounds almost Monk-ish, choosing unusual chords and odd notes. On every tune, without exception he is soulful and bluesy. Grant Green, of course, is tasteful, as always. Like Parlan, Green does not amaze with lightning-fast runs. Instead, he wrings the blues for every drop of emotion he can find, including the quiet spaces between notes. He is the perfect complement for Parlan.  Finally, there's Booker Ervin. Unlike Parlan and Green, Ervin can shred with the best. On Up and Down, he turns it on and off. On the opener, "Books Beat," Ervin is sassy and aggressive. On the ballad "Lonely One," he is all swirling smoke. And on the closer, "Light Blue," Ervin shows off his technique a toe-tapping, happy blues that sends the listener off with a smile. Up and Down is a great ensemble album. It's full of clever, swinging music. I could listen to it all day. And while you don't need know anything about Parlan's bum right hand to appreciate the music, it helps. The man is an inspiration.

Personnel:  Horace Parlan - piano;  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone;  Grant Green - guitar;  George Tucker - bass;  Al Harewood - drums

Up & Down

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Arnett Cobb with the Red Garland Trio - Sizzling & Blue And Sentimental

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:39
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:24)  2. Black Velvet
(7:46)  3. Blue Sermon
(6:05)  4. Georgia On My Mind
(7:37)  5. Sizzlin'
(6:58)  6. The Way You Look Tonight
(7:13)  7. Willow Weep For Me
(4:49)  8. Hurry Home
(5:10)  9. P.S. I Love You
(5:23) 10. Blue And Sentimental
(4:49) 11. Darn That Dream
(2:52) 12. Why Try To Change Me Now
(3:18) 13. Your Wonderful Love

This CD reissue combines together tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb's two LPs, Sizzlin' and Ballads by Cobb. The former session has a good mixture of stomps and ballads with highlights including "Black Velvet," "Georgia on My Mind," and "The Way You Look Tonight." The latter date (originally cut for the Moodsville label) is all slow ballads and, despite the warmth in Cobb's tone, a certain sameness pervades the performances. Pianist Red Garland and drummer J.C. Heard are on both sessions with either George Tucker or George Duvivier on bass. Good music but not quite essential.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-and-sentimental-mw0000096767

Personnel:  Arnett Cobb (ts), Red Garland (p), George Tucker, George Duvivier (b), J.C. Heard (d)

Sizzling & Blue And Sentimental

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Booker Ervin - Cookin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:22
Size: 101,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:32)  1. Dee Da Do
(5:18)  2. Mr. Wiggles
(7:25)  3. You Don't Know What Love Is
(6:13)  4. Down In The Dumps
(9:52)  5. Well, Well
(7:00)  6. Autumn Leaves

A very distinctive tenor with a hard, passionate tone and an emotional style that was still tied to chordal improvisation, Booker Ervin was a true original. He was originally a trombonist, but taught himself tenor while in the Air Force (1950-1953). After studying music in Boston for two years, he made his recording debut with Ernie Fields' R&B band (1956). Ervin gained fame while playing with Charles Mingus (off and on during 1956-1962), holding his own with the volatile bassist and Eric Dolphy. He also led his own quartet, worked with Randy Weston on a few occasions in the '60s, and spent much of 1964-1966 in Europe before dying much too young from kidney disease. Ervin, who is on several notable Charles Mingus records, made dates of his own for Bethlehem, Savoy, and Candid during 1960-1961, along with later sets for Pacific Jazz and Blue Note. His nine Prestige sessions of 1963-1966 (including The Freedom Book, The Song Book, The Blues Book, and The Space Book) are among the high points of his career. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/cookin/3907000

Personnel:  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone;  Richard Williams - trumpet;  Horace Parlan - piano;  George Tucker - bass;  Dannie Richmond - drums.

Cookin'

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Sonny Red - Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (2-Disc Set)

Sonny Red (as), Blue Mitchell (tp), Yusef Lateef, Clifford Jordan (ts), Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan, Ronnie Matthews, Cedar Walton (p), Grant Green (g), Bob Cranshaw, Art Davis, George Tucker (b), Albert 'Tootie' Heath, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Cobb (d).

Inspired by Charlie Parker and then Jackie McLean, the widely experienced, Detroit-born altoist Sonny Red, nee Sylvester Kyner (1932-1980) was an archetypal Motor City bopper, who, like many of his confreres there, also absorbed the blues-drenched lines of pianist Bud Powell. Forthright, direct, unpretentious, a skilled soloist with a strong feeling for the blues, he played and recorded with some of the finest jazzmen around.

The presence here of such luminous talents as, most notably, pianist Barry Harris, along with fellow pianist Tommy Flanagan, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, saxophonists Clifford Jordan and Yusef Lateef, and guitarist Grant Green left no doubt about his stature among them. Despite this and the fact that he also worked with such marquee names as Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller and Paul Quinichette, he never quite made the breakthrough his skills suggested he would and his recordings have been difficult to find.This collection of quartet, quintet and sextet settings brings together four albums he made for the Jazzland label during one of the most productive spells of his career and shows why he was held in such esteem by his contemporaries.

Album: Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:53
Size: 180.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012

[5:02] 1. Brother B
[4:03] 2. All I Do Is Dream Of You
[5:33] 3. The New Blues
[4:36] 4. Ditty
[6:27] 5. 'teef
[6:06] 6. Breezin'
[4:43] 7. A Handful Of Stars
[2:52] 8. If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You
[3:52] 9. Cumberland Court
[4:50] 10. A Story Tale
[5:39] 11. You're Driving Me Crazy
[3:27] 12. Defiance
[6:02] 13. Prints
[5:02] 14. Hip Pockets
[5:16] 15. They Say It's Wonderful
[5:16] 16. If I Didn't Care

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Album: Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:05
Size: 176.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. I Like The Likes Of You
[4:36] 2. Bye, Bye Blues
[6:34] 3. Never, Never Land
[4:19] 4. Ko-Kee
[6:34] 5. Images
[4:51] 6. Blues For Donna
[5:22] 7. Dodge City
[6:16] 8. Moon River
[5:38] 9. Super-20
[8:53] 10. The Mode
[8:33] 11. Blue Sonny
[5:15] 12. The Rythm Thing
[5:46] 13. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered


Breezing-A Story TaleThe ModeImages(Disc 1)(Disc 2)

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Oliver Nelson - Taking Care Of Business

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:37
Size: 97.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1960/2013
Art: Front

[9:54] 1. Trane Whistle
[6:57] 2. Doxy
[5:30] 3. In Time
[6:16] 4. Lou's Good Dues
[7:32] 5. All The Way
[6:26] 6. Groove

Bass – George Tucker; Drums – Roy Haynes; Organ – Johnny "Hammond" Smith; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Oliver Nelson; Vibraphone – Lem Winchester.

Oliver Nelson would gain his greatest fame later in his short life as an arranger/ composer, but this superior session puts the emphasis on his distinctive tenor and alto playing. In a slightly unusual group (with vibraphonist Lem Winchester, organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Roy Haynes), Nelson improvises a variety of well-constructed but spontaneous solos; his unaccompanied spots on "All the Way" and his hard-charging playing on the medium-tempo blues "Groove" are two of the many highpoints. Nelson remains a vastly underrated saxophonist and all six performances (four of them his originals) are excellent. ~Scott Yanow

Taking Care Of Business mc
Taking Care Of Business zippy

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Freddie Redd - San Francisco Suite

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:57
Size: 95,1 MB
Art: Front

(13:30)  1. San Francisco Suite
( 3:37)  2. Blue Hour
( 3:47)  3. By Myself
( 4:05)  4. Old Man River
( 5:02)  5. Minor Interlude
( 6:34)  6. This is New
( 4:19)  7. Nica Steps Out

This early recording by pianist Freddie Redd (a straight CD reissue of the original Riverside LP) features Redd's trio of the time, with bassist George Tucker and drummer All Dreares. The CD reissue is highlighted by the 13½-minute title piece, a suite that in its five melodies depicts the jazz life in San Francisco during the era. Redd shows potential both in his writing and his boppish playing. The remainder of the fine set has the group's interpretations of three other Redd originals and a trio of standards. An excellent effort. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/san-francisco-suite-for-jazz-trio-mw0000309826    

Personnel: Freddie Redd (piano); George Tucker (bass); Al Dreares (drums).            

San Francisco Suite

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Walt Dickerson - Vibes In Motion

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:16
Size: 147,2 MB
Art: Front

(16:26)  1. Unity
(17:23)  2. High Moon
( 2:47)  3. Theme From Lawrence Of Arabia
( 5:09)  4. That Is The Desert
( 3:55)  5. Motif From Overture Part I
( 3:47)  6. Motif From Overture Part II
( 2:21)  7. Arrival At Auda's Camp
( 4:36)  8. Nefud Mirage Part I
( 4:20)  9. Nefud Mirage Part II
( 3:27) 10. The Voice Of The Guns

In the early 1960s, when Dickerson first emerged on the scene, a number of musicians had already arrived at the conclusion that bebop, which had dominated jazz for two decades, was an increasingly inadequate system out of which to make a music that could embody the tensions, dangers, revelations and liberated energies of the times. His music, while not nearly as radical in its departures and explorations as, say, the music of Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman, certainly places him among the significant contributors to the jazz revolution of his era. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Vibes-Motion-Walt-Dickerson/dp/B000ENWIBM

?Personnel:  Walt Dickerson (vib), Walter Davis Jr., Austin Crowe (p), George Tucker, Henry Grimes (b), Edgar Bateman, Andrew Cyrille (d).               

Vibes In Motion

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Stanley Turrentine - Look Out!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:06
Size: 128,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:12)  1. Look Out!
(4:58)  2. Journey Into Melody
(4:50)  3. Return Engagement
(7:51)  4. Little Sheri
(5:02)  5. Tiny Capers
(6:13)  6. Minor Chant
(6:18)  7. Tin Tin Deo
(6:58)  8. Yesterdays
(5:41)  9. Little Sheri [45rpm-single take]

This 1960 set is from a period which many consider to have been Stanley Turrentine's most creative. The saxophonist, who would have been 75 this month (March), was just coming out of an extended run with Max Roach's notably up-tempo orchestra. Backed here by a then-emerging powerhouse of sidemen, the set kicks off with the title track, a tersely phrased Turrentine blues composition. The straightforward rhythm section bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood makes a perfect berth for some wide open and bouncing solos from pianist Horace Parlan and the composer's tenor sax.  It's followed by an unexpected treat. "Journey Into Melody" is a luxuriant piece by British conductor Robert Farnon. Well-known for his lush orchestrations, his music would hardly be expected to turn up on a Turrentine session, he who only a few years earlier had taken Coltrane's seat in Earl Bostic's band. But it all works easily between these two romanticists. The great Ben Webster was a major influence on Turrentine, and a tender sound very akin to Webster's is evident on this leisurely, warmly played melody. Another Turrentine tune, "Little Sheri," is dedicated to his then-young daughter, and grew to become a signature tune for the saxophonist. Here, after a warm, low-key intro by Turrentine accentuated by Harewood's brushes, Parlan swings in with some easy, gentle chords. Throughout the set, Turrentine and especially Parlan give out with a grabbing, bluesy soul quality. Back in the early '50,s Turrentine had recorded with Ray Charles and echoes of that special soul sound appear here. Turrentine's partnering with Parlan here is especially notable, presaging other memorable recordings of theirs for this same label. But it was here that they really began to cook and the heat is palpable. ~ Andrew Velez https://www.allaboutjazz.com/look-out-stanley-turrentine-blue-note-records-review-by-andrew-velez.php
 

Personnel: Stanley Turrentine: tenor saxophone; Horace Parlan: piano; George Tucker: bass; Al harewood: drums.

Look Out!

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Eric Dolphy Quintet feat. Freddie Hubbard - Outward Bound

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:27
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:58)  1. G.W.
( 5:45)  2. On Green Dolphin Street
( 5:14)  3. Les
( 6:51)  4. 245
( 5:28)  5. Glad To Be Unhappy
( 5:41)  6. Miss Toni
( 4:10)  7. April Fool
(12:09)  8. G.W. (alternate take 1)
( 8:07)  9. 245 (alternate take 1)

Unlike Ornette Coleman who wanted to blow orthodox jazz form out of the water John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy initially worked to change the system from within, making music that fit the jazz standards of the time while injecting their own unique spin. This is why Outward Bound, Dolphy's first recording as a leader, is a not-so-distant relative of Coltrane's My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1960). On balance, both discs have a conventional base. While Coltrane stuck to the Great American Songbook, Dolphy penned over half the tunes on Outward Bound; even so, those originals mesh perfectly with classics like "On Green Dolphin Street and Charles Greenlea's "Miss Toni. It's the respective opening tracks that separate both discs from the norm. As Coltrane used an innocuous song from The Sound of Music to launch us into space, so does Dolphy use "G.W. to prove Coleman's theory that "you could play sharp or flat in tune. 

A fast 4/4 beat drives borderline-dissonant opening salvos from the front line. While the rest of the band lays down beats and fills that would not be out of place on any bop date, Dolphy steps out of the head to blister us with a mind-boggling, lightning-fingered alto solo that threatens to go over a cliff at any moment. Dolphy and his partners maintain this unorthodox balancing act throughout the 1960 session. At the time, the bass clarinet was nearly unheard of as a lead instrument, but Dolphy uses it to great atonal effect on the zippy "Miss Toni. It also applies a noir-like patina to the opening of "Green Dolphin Street. Dolphy's flute on Rodgers and Hart's "Glad To Be Unhappy is flat and mournful one second, jumping and dancing (and sometimes screaming) the next, but rarely following a predictable path. Jaki Byard is Dolphy's faithful wingman, contributing Monk-laced lines that stay within "acceptable guidelines while tipping the reality a little bit further out.George Tucker's foundation on bass is key, rooting the music so the other players can create in space. Roy Haynes displays a range as big as all outdoors, playing drums like a machine gun on the blasting "Les one minute, using brushes like an artist on "Green Dolphin Street the next. Freddie Hubbard's trumpet is as empirical as Dolphy's reedwork is existential; the 21-year old Hubbard's solos (particularly on "Les and the bluesy "245 ) show power and control beyond his years. One wonders what would have happened if he'd stayed with Dolphy and not gone off with Art Blakey. It makes sad sense we lost Coltrane and Dolphy too soon Trane from cancer, Dolphy of complications from diabetes. Stars burn out, meteors crash... but while they live, they burn oh so bright. Outward Bound is Dolphy's first burst of light, a beautiful and frightening glow that must be experienced. ~ J Hunter https://www.allaboutjazz.com/outward-bound-eric-dolphy-prestige-records-review-by-j-hunter.php

Personnel: Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute;  Freddie Hubbard: trumpet;  Jaki Byard: piano;  George Tucker: bass;  Roy Haynes: drums.

Outward Bound

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Horace Parlan - Us Three

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:47
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Us Three
(4:50)  2. I Want To Be Loved
(6:26)  3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(5:52)  4. Wadin'
(7:09)  5. The Lady Is A Tramp
(7:06)  6. Walkin'
(4:48)  7. Return Engagement

On this recording made in 1960 during his tenure with Lou Donaldson, pianist Horace Parlan is situated nicely alongside bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood. The trio had its own gig on Sundays at Minton's in Harlem, and had established a repertoire and reputation for being able to lay down both hard bop and soul-jazz stylings with equal verve. (And yeah, that jazz/hip-hop group from the 1990s was named after this disc.) The proceedings here are straight-ahead with some cool soul-jazz touches. Parlan's "Wadin'" moves the off-minor key of "Wade in the Water" and funkifies the rhythm, paraphrasing and improvising as the rhythm section struts it out. On the title track, there is a gorgeous lilt in his playing that corresponds to a behind-the-beat walk by Tucker that makes Harewood slip and shimmy constantly on the cymbals with his brushes. There and on "I Want to Be Loved" as well as "Return Engagement" (another Parlan original), something else starts to creep into his playing: the spacy, spare feel of Ahmad Jamal, who Parlan cited as a contemporary influence. The economy of touch, which stands in stark contrast to the hard bop he played with Donaldson and the energetic music he played with Mingus, is in some ways more complex harmonically, and more emotionally satisfying. This is a fine effort from an underappreciated trio. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/us-three-mw0000024465

Personnel: Horace Parlan (piano); George Tucker (bass); Al Harewood (drums).

Us Three

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