Showing posts with label Horace Silver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horace Silver. Show all posts

Friday, March 24, 2023

Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd - The Birth Of Hard Bop Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: The Birth Of Hard Bop  Disc 1

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:18
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:30)  1. Budo
(6:58)  2. I Married An Angel
(8:02)  3. The Jazz Message
(5:49)  4. There Will Never Be Another You
(3:06)  5. Cattin' - Alternate Take
(4:37)  6. Cattin'
(4:41)  7. Madeline
(3:45)  8. When I Fall In Love
(4:20)  9. Space Flight - Previously Unissued
(4:12) 10. Space Flight
(5:18) 11. Blues Number Two - Previously Unissued
(4:56) 12. Blues Number Two

Album: The Birth Of Hard Bop  Disc 2

Time: 64:36
Size: 149,2 MB

(6:30)  1. B. For B.B. - Previously Unissued
(6:28)  2. B. For B.B.
(7:01)  3. Hank's Shout
(7:53)  4. Bet
(8:53)  5. Nostalagia
(9:49)  6. Thad's Blues
(5:31)  7. A-1
(5:48)  8. A-1 - Alternate Take
(6:37)  9. Doug's Minor Bouk

This 2-CD set, introducing the Savoy Jazz Rare Sessions series, contains the reissue of four 1956 Savoy albums: The Jazz Message Of Hank Mobley, Hard Bop, The Jazz Message Of Hank Mobley, Volume 2 and A-1: The Savoy Sessions. It includes alternate takes and previously unissued tracks that serve an important purpose. Here, "Cattin’," for example, is played at different tempos: Bird-like on the alternate take with different featured soloists. The version originally issued is looser and more representative of hard bop. "Space Flight," on the other hand, is virtually the same on both takes. Minor flaws in the recorded sound were most likely caused when performers turned away from the microphone. The unissued track of "Blues Number Two" contains serious sound problems as well as artist miscues. But there’s more. The alternate track was performed at a faster bebop tempo without as much soulful expression as that evident in the issued take.

By including the alternate track, Savoy is giving the listener an opportunity to hear what was considered desirable in the recording studio: better sound and a genuine, gospel-influenced, blues-based expression.While the previously unissued take of "B. for B.B." is obviously inferior, both in its poor sound balance and in the faster, uninspired mood; "A-1" appears as two different arrangements, both of great value but independent of each other. Each session leader is well represented. Sweet ballads and driving jams feature the Byrd/Mobley quintet as well as the Morgan/Mobley quintet. Lee Morgan and Hank Mobley appear on the last 7 tracks. Over two hours in length, Savoy’s reissue offers early glimpses of several pioneers, four very different pianists, and an introduction to what folks began calling hard bop. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-birth-of-hard-bop-lee-morgan-savoy-jazz-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan- trumpet; Hank Mobley- tenor saxophone; John LaPorta- alto saxophone; Horace Silver, Ronnie Ball, Barry Harris, Hank Jones- piano; Wendell Marshall, Doug Watkins- bass; Kenny Clarke, Arthur Taylor- drums. 


Saturday, April 9, 2022

Horace Silver - Song for My Father

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:28
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:20)  1. Song for My Father
(6:12)  2. The Natives Are Restless Tonig
(8:32)  3. Calcutta Cutie
(7:49)  4. Que Pasa
(5:27)  5. The Kicker
(7:06)  6. Lonely Woman

One of Blue Note's greatest mainstream hard bop dates, Song for My Father is Horace Silver's signature LP and the peak of a discography already studded with classics. Silver was always a master at balancing jumping rhythms with complex harmonies for a unique blend of earthiness and sophistication, and Song for My Father has perhaps the most sophisticated air of all his albums. Part of the reason is the faintly exotic tint that comes from Silver's flowering fascination with rhythms and modes from overseas the bossa nova beat of the classic "Song for My Father," for example, or the Eastern-flavored theme of "Calcutta Cutie," or the tropical-sounding rhythms of "Que Pasa?" Subtle touches like these alter Silver's core sound just enough to bring out its hidden class, which is why the album has become such a favorite source of upscale ambience. 

Song for My Father was actually far less focused in its origins than the typical Silver project; it dates from the period when Silver was disbanding his classic quintet and assembling a new group, and it features performances from both bands. Still, it hangs together remarkably well, and Silver's writing is at its tightest and catchiest. The title cut became Silver's best-known composition, partly because it provided the musical basis for jazz-rock group Steely Dan's biggest pop hit "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." Another hard bop standard is introduced here in the lone non-Silver tune, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's "The Kicker," covered often for the challenge of its stuttering phrases and intricate rhythms. Yet somehow it comes off as warm and inviting as the rest of the album, which is necessary for all jazz collections -- mainstream hard bop rarely comes as good as Song for My Father. ~ Steve Huey   http://www.allmusic.com/album/song-for-my-father-mw0000241423

Personnel: Horace Silver (piano); Carmell Jones, Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Joe Henderson, Junior Cook (tenor saxophone); Teddy Smith, Gene Taylor (bass); Roger Humphries, Roy Brooks (drums).

RIP
Set/1928-Jun/2014

Song for My Father

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Miles Davis - Bag's Groove

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:23
Size: 106,4 MB
Art: Front

(11:17)  1. Bags' Groove (Take 1)
( 9:27)  2. Bags' Groove (Take 2)
( 4:55)  3. Airegin
( 5:13)  4. Oleo
( 5:45)  5. But Not For Me (take 2)
( 4:56)  6. Doxy
( 4:45)  7. But Not For Me (take 1)

There are a multitude of reasons why Bags' Groove remains a cornerstone of the post-bop genre. Of course there will always be the lure of the urban myth surrounding the Christmas Eve 1954 session featuring Thelonious Monk which is documented on the two takes of the title track. There are obviously more tangible elements, such as Davis' practically telepathic runs with Sonny Rollins (tenor sax). Or Horace Silver's (piano) uncanny ability to provide a stream of chord progressions that supply a second inconspicuous lead without ever overpowering. Indeed, Davis' choice of former Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra and concurrent Modern Jazz Quartet members Milt Jackson (vibes), Kenny Clarke (drums), and Percy Heath (bass) is obviously well-informed. This combo became synonymous with the ability to tastefully improvise and provide bluesy bop lines in varied settings. 

The up-tempo and Latin-infused syncopation featured during the opening of "Airegin" flows into lines and minor-chord phrasings that would reappear several years later throughout Davis' Sketches of Spain epic. The fun and slightly maniacally toned "Oleo" features one of Heath's most impressive displays on Bags' Groove. His staccato accompaniment exhibits the effortless nature with which these jazz giants are able to incorporate round after round of solos onto the larger unit. Bags' Groove belongs as a cornerstone of all jazz collections. Likewise, the neophyte as well as the seasoned jazz enthusiast will find much to discover and rediscover throughout the disc. [Some reissues include both historic takes of "Bags' Groove" as well as one additional rendering of the pop standard "But Not for Me."] ~ Lindsay Planer http://www.allmusic.com/album/bags-groove-mw0000649467

Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver (piano); Percy Heath (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Bag's Groove

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Hank Mobley Quartet - Hank Mobley Quartet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:13
Size: 58,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Hank's Prank
(3:47)  2. My Sin
(4:31)  3. Avila And Tequila
(3:40)  4. Walkin' The Fence
(4:32)  5. Love For Sale
(4:11)  6. Just Coolin'

Hank Mobley Quartet is the debut album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Blue Note label in 1955 as BLP 5066, a 10" LP. It was recorded on March 27, 1955, and features Mobley, Horace Silver, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey. The album was released on CD only in Japan, as a limited edition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Mobley_Quartet

Personnel:  Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone; Horace Silver - piano; Doug Watkins - bass; Art Blakey - drums

Hank Mobley Quartet

Monday, April 22, 2019

Horace Silver - Total Response

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:39
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. Acid, Pot Or Pills
(3:37)  2. What Kind Of Animal Am I?
(3:55)  3. Won't You Open Up Your Senses
(3:46)  4. I've Had A Little Talk
(4:15)  5. Soul Searchin'
(5:19)  6. Big Business
(3:46)  7. I'm Aware Of The Animal Within Me
(6:15)  8. Old Mother Nature Calls
(5:18)  9. Total Response

When jazz critics complain about the decline of Blue Note in the late '60s and early '70s, Total Response is the kind of album they have in mind. A sprawling, incoherent, and just plain weird mess of funk, fusion, soul-jazz, African spirituality, and hippie mysticism, Total Response aims at the transcendent and stumbles upon its own ludicrous ambitions. Building from familiar, funky soul-jazz vamps, Silver wrote a set of nine songs that were designed to "bring a little more Health, Happiness, Love and Peace into your life." Appropriately, the album is filled with songs about the evils of the modern world ("Acid, Pot or Pills," "Big Business") and how self-awareness ("What Kind of Animal Am I?," "I'm Aware of the Animal Within Me") and open minds ("Won't You Open Up Your Senses," "Soul Searchin'," "I've Had Little Talk") can lead to spiritual peace and fulfillment ("Total Response"). All this may be true, but the way that it's said -- laid-back, featureless fusion vamps with awkward lyrics by Silver ("Our water isn't pure/When fluoride we endure") that are wailed tunelessly by Salome and Andy Bey -- is terribly clumsy and ridiculous. It wouldn't matter that there is "little jazz content" to the music if these fusions of soul, funk, jazz, and poetry worked, but since they fail so miserably, the lack of improvisation and inspiration from Silver, saxophonist Harold Vick, trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, guitarist Richie Resnicoff, bassist Rob Cranshaw, and drummer Mickey Roker only emphasizes what a mess Total Response is. ~ Stephen Tomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/total-response-phase-i-mw0000876702

Personnel: Horace Silver - electric piano; Cecil Bridgewater - trumpet, flugelhorn; Harold Vick - tenor saxophone; Richie Resnicoff - guitar; Bob Cranshaw - electric bass; Mickey Roker - drums; Salome Bey, Andy Bey - vocals

Total Response

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Horace Silver - Jazz Inspiration

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:20
Size: 171,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. Cookin' At The Continental
(7:02)  2. Senor Blues
(6:18)  3. Sister Sadie
(5:38)  4. Que Pasa
(6:05)  5. The Outlaw
(7:18)  6. Song For My Father
(6:02)  7. Peace
(5:55)  8. Cool Eyes
(6:48)  9. Nica's Dream
(5:50) 10. The Jody Grind
(3:30) 11. Opus De Funk
(4:40) 12. Blowin' The Blues Away
(4:19) 13. The Preacher

The 2012 Horace Silver compilation, Blue Note Jazz Inspiration, presents some of the legendary pianist and bandleader's most influential recordings. Included here are such songs as "Senor Blues," "Song for My Father," "Nica's Dream," "The Preacher," and others. This is a solid single-disc overview of the prime of Silver's career at Blue Note in the '60s. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-note-jazz-inspiration-mw0002294278

Jazz Inspiration

Friday, January 18, 2019

Art Farmer - Early Art

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Soft Shoe
(3:57)  2. Confab In Tempo
(5:01)  3. I'll Take Romance
(4:06)  4. Wisteria
(4:09)  5. Autumn Nocturne
(3:50)  6. I've Never Been In Love Before
(3:56)  7. I'll Walk Alone
(4:08)  8. Gone With The Wind
(3:59)  9. Alone Together
(3:36) 10. Pre Amp

Two of trumpeter Art Farmer's earlier sessions as a leader are reissued on this CD in the OJC series. Farmer teams up with an all-star quintet (which includes tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke) for four songs and dominates a quartet (with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Herbie Lovelle) on six other tunes. Farmer's sound is lyrical even on the uptempo pieces and he is heard throughout in his early prime. Highlights include "Soft Shoe," "I'll Take Romance," "Autumn Nocturne" and an uptempo "Gone with the Wind." One should note that the programming differs from what is listed, with "Soft Shoe" (which should have been the opener) actually appearing fifth and the songs listed as appearing second through fifth moving up to first through fourth. Despite that flaw, the music is quite enjoyable and a must for 1950s bop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/early-art-mw0000183670

Personnel:  Art Farmer – trumpet; Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-2, 5); Horace Silver (tracks 1-3, 5), Wynton Kelly (tracks 4, 6-10) - piano; Percy Heath (tracks 1-3, 5), Addison Farmer (tracks 4, 6-10) – bass; Kenny Clarke (tracks 1-3, 5), Herbie Lovelle (tracks 4, 6-10) – drums

Early Art

Friday, December 28, 2018

Nat Adderley - Introducing Nat Adderley

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:40
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Watermelon
(4:06)  2. Little Joanie Walks
(3:32)  3. Two Brothers
(4:29)  4. I Should Care
(6:03)  5. Crazy Baby
(6:43)  6. New Arrivals
(3:53)  7. Sun Dance
(3:22)  8. Fort Lauderdale
(3:16)  9. Friday Nite
(5:25) 10. Blues For Bohemia

The Adderley brothers were key players in the birth of hard bop, a style which grew out of the advancements of Bud Powell and other pioneers who formed a sound that many artists took to the bank for years. At this point in time Cannonball had formed his first quintet with Nat as a sideman; facing indifferent recognition, Cannonball went on to join Miles Davis and met with far greater acclaim. The two would later reunite in the second Cannonball Adderley quintet with much greater success; after his stint with Davis, the public was much more receptive to what Cannonball had to say. This album is a bit unusual in that Nat is the leader and Cannonball is the sideman, although since the altoist is such a pervasive influence and all the tunes we co-written by the two, the distinction of who is in charge makes little difference. The Adderley brothers were always at their best working in the hard bop vein. Although they specialized in different instruments, their styles were remarkably similar; playful and lively, with a generous helping of the blues. 

They wear their Parker-Gillespie influences on their sleeves, trading off fluttering arpeggios and staccato runs at a rapid fire pace, and obviously prefer sticking to the higher register given their choice of instruments (Nat is one of the few jazz players to specialize in the cornet). Most of the songs here are skillfully designed to exploit the talents of both, although they are interchangeable with hundreds of other hard bop themes from the era. However, they truly seem to be enjoying themselves here, indulging their love of playing jazz. You would also be hard pressed to find a rhythm section better than the one assembled here; all three were highly regarded sidemen who amongst them have probably appeared on over a third of all sessions recorded during this period. Horace Silver would go on to record greasy soul anthems for the hard bop generation like "Song For My Father"; his sharp attack provides a bed of nails for the horns to blow over. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/introducing-nat-adderley-nat-adderley-verve-music-group-review-by-david-rickert__27073.php

Personnel: Nat Adderley, cornet; Cannonball Adderley, alto sax; Horace Silver, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Roy Haynes, drums.

Introducing Nat Adderley

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Horace Silver - Live At Newport '58

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 103,1 MB
Art: Front

( 0:44)  1. Introduction By Willis Connover
(13:10)  2. Tippin'
(11:47)  3. The Outlaw
( 8:42)  4. Señor Blues
(10:21)  5. Cool Eyes

For a jazz artist of such longevity, pianist Horace Silver has precious few live recordings as leader. Before Paris Blues: Olympia Theater, Paris, 1962 (Fantasy, 2003) was released, Silver's single live recording was Doin' The Thing At The Village Gate (Blue Note, 2006/1961). This fact makes any newly discovered and released live recording somewhat of an event. Enter Horace Silver Live At Newport '58. Horace Silver Live At Newport '58 aurally details July 6, 1958 at the Newport Jazz Festival. The Horace Silver Quintet closed that Sunday afternoon's performances with a 40-minute set drawn from music Silver was composing and recording during at the time. The performance falls between Silver's recording of Further Explorations (Blue Note, 1958) and Finger Poppin' (Blue Note, 1959) and includes "The Outlaw" from that session and "Tippin'," recorded on June 15, 1958 for the b-side of the vocal version of "Senor Blues" (Bill Henderson, vocals). This performance is notable for the presence of trumpeter Louis Smith, who served as a bridge between Donald Byrd and Blue Mitchell. This represents the only full performance by Smith as part of Silver's quintet and one of the only times that "Tippin'" was recorded live by its original quintet. To be sure, Smith is neither Byrd nor Mitchell. He is a lightning bolt briefly illuminating the jazz sky with force and brilliance. This earliest example of live Silver shows the leader fully formed as a stage personality. If Horace Silver can be described as anything, it would be as his music is described: "funky cool." Horace Silver is part of the hard bop trinity, along with trumpeter Miles Davis and drummer Art Blakey. This trio ushered in a more accessible form of be-bop, making it acceptable to a wider audience by their infusion of blues and gospel elements. Hard bop was the first jazz genre to tax the confines of description. It is a more subtle artifact of jazz evolution than the earthquake which produced be-bop, which was a major mutation of jazz genes. Hard bop is extroverted where be-bop is introverted. It is muscular and brash, loose and sensual or frankly sexual music, particularly in the blues. 

The Newport performance is book ended with two classic be-bop constructions shot through with hard bop swagger. "Tippin'" is a classic AABA composition after Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm." It sports a complicated head and assertive soloing, and it swings with a jackhammer momentum, driven by the muscular drumming of Louis Hayes, who prefaces Tony Williams a decade later. "Cool Eyes" is similarly constructed with a devilishly complex Horace Silver head. Both pieces illustrate how hard bop was born out of be-bop. Those pieces performed between are the heart of hard bop, compositions that adopt challenging structures and time signatures. "The Outlaw"is pure genius, carefully constructed to convey the maximum drama. It stirs blues, Tin Pan Alley, church, and disorder at the border into a potent cocktail intended to weaken one's knees after the first shot. That soloists can spin their respective wares over these challenges is a credit to their musicianship. "Senor Blues" needs little introduction. It is the minor key blues of "Birk's Works" introduced to "My Little Red Shoes" with plutonium added for a slow burn. "Senor Blues" showcases its composer, allowing him to demonstrate the universe of his composing and pianist talents. If the late 1950s has a soundtrack, it would be "Senor Blues." Horace Silver Live At Newport '58 joins three other recent releases from trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie/saxophonist Charlie Parker, pianist Thelonious Monk and saxophonist John Coltrane as one of the most significant new finds in jazz. It appropriately casts Horace Silver as a significant jazz composer and reminds the modern listener that there are still giants among us, no matter how briefly. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/horace-silver-live-at-newport-58-by-c-michael-bailey.php?width=1920

Personnel: Horace silver: piano; Louis Smith; trumpet; Junior Cook: tenor Saxophone; Gene Taylor: bass; Louis Hayes: drums.

Live At Newport'58

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Lee Morgan - Indeed!

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:12
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:18)  1. Roccus
(4:55)  2. Reggie of Chester
(6:47)  3. The Lady
(8:23)  4. Little T
(3:57)  5. Gaza Strip
(5:49)  6. Stand By

The first time Lee Morgan entered a recording studio, he was just 18 years old and he was leading his own band. More impressive, that band included soon to be legendary pianist Horace Silver and drummer Philly Joe Jones. This is the CD of that 1956 recording session. While the players were great, the music is merely ordinary which isn't too surprising given the tender age of the leader. Indeed! is standard Blue Note hard bop by the guys who would, in various combinations, become the label's mainstays.  That's not a knock. This is a good record, and if you're a fan of hard bop, as I am, you'll like it. Morgan is very much the product of Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Navarro. He sounds a bit like both, and he even played Dizzy's trademark horn with a bent bell. The other horn player is a virtual unknown saxman Clarence Sharpe, known to friends as C. Sharpe, or C#. In many numbers, he sounds like a Charlie Parker knockoff again, no big surprise for a young alto player in 1956, a year after Bird's death. In Sharpe's 1990 obituary, The New York Times called him "the missing link between Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman." But that was later in life. Here, he's all bebop. Same with Lee Morgan, who had a long and legendary career on Blue Note, recording something like 25 albums. This is the first, and it's no fault of the young 18-year-old that it's not yet as memorable as 1963's The Sidewinder. It's solid, enjoyable, if unoriginal, hard bop. A couple of side notes: First, though the album has only one ballad, "The Lady," it is sweet and tender and nearly all Morgan. A real standout. Second, the cut "Gaza Strip" has absolutely no hints of Middle Eastern or Arabic influences. Wonder where the title came from. Finally, though Horace Silver is a member of the band, he mostly stays in the background, taking a handful of perfunctory solos. ~ Marc Davis https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lee-morgan-indeed--blue-note-1538-lee-morgan-by-marc-davis.php

Personnel:  Lee Morgan - trumpet;  Horace Silver - piano;  Clarence Sharpe - alto saxophone;  Wilbur Ware - bass;  Philly Joe Jones - drums

Indeed!

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Horace Silver - You Gotta Take A Little Love

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:11
Size: 92,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. You Gotta Take A Little Love
(4:37)  2. The Risin' Sun
(6:42)  3. It's Time
(4:14)  4. Lovely's Daughter
(4:30)  5. Down And Out
(7:26)  6. The Belly Dancer
(6:14)  7. Brain Wave

One of the final Horace Silver Quintet Blue Note albums, this somewhat forgotten LP, dedicated to "the Brotherhood of Men," is an instrumental set that introduced six new compositions by the pianist/leader (none of which caught on as standards) along with Bennie Maupin's "Lovely's Daughter." Maupin (on tenor and flute), trumpeter Randy Brecker, bassist John Williams, and drummer Billy Cobham comprise Silver's excellent late-'60s hard bop group. [In 2007 Blue Note reissued You Gotta Take a Little Love in a remastered Rudy Van Gelder edition.] ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-gotta-take-a-little-love-mw0000559874

Personnel:  Horace Silver - piano;  Randy Brecker - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Bennie Maupin - tenor saxophone, flute;  John Williams - bass;  Billy Cobham - drums

You Gotta Take A Little Love

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Cannonball Adderley - Discoveries

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:31
Size: 81.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:44] 1. With Apologies To Oscar (Take 1)
[5:44] 2. Bohemia After Dark (Take 1)
[4:06] 3. Chasm (Take 3)
[3:13] 4. Late Entry (Take 4)
[5:00] 5. A Little Taste (Take 1)
[5:18] 6. Caribbean Cutie (Take 1)
[0:39] 7. Spontaneous Combustion (Take 4)
[5:43] 8. With Apologies To Oscar (Take 2)

Alto Saxophone – Cannonball Adderley; Cornet – Nat Adderley; Double Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – Kenny Clarke; Piano – Hank Jones, Horace Silver; Tenor Saxophone – Jerome Richardson; Trumpet – Donald Byrd.

The lineup on this mid-'50s Cannonball Adderley date is like some kind of hard bop dream team: the alto sax legend is teamed up with brother Nat on cornet, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Jerome Richardson on tenor sax and a rhythm section consisting of drummer Kenny Clarke and bassist Paul Chambers; Horace Silver handles most of the piano chores, while Hank Jones sits in on two tracks. Adderley plays beautifully throughout; note especially the rhythmic tension he sets up as he plays straight eighths over the melody on "With Apologies to Oscar." Horace Silver is at the top of his form as well, and seems to be having fun throwing around veiled Monk references. The trumpet/cornet solo on "Bohemia After Dark," however, sounds tired and hesitant. Unfortunately, the sound quality of this disc varies (sometimes within a single track) more than it should for a recording of this vintage, and the disc's 35-minute length is another annoyance. But the weight of great performances by Adderley, Silver and the infallible Clarke/Chambers axis, combined with the disc's attractive price, make it a solid value. Highly recommended. ~Rick Anderson

Discoveries mc
Discoveries zippy

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Ethel Waters, Horace Silver Quintet - Break City

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:58
Size: 164.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[7:04] 1. Melancholy Mood
[3:02] 2. True Blue Lou
[2:41] 3. Do What You Did Last Night
[4:49] 4. The Baghdad Blues
[2:43] 5. Get Up Off Your Knees
[4:06] 6. The St. Vitus Dance
[3:00] 7. Travlin' All Alone
[3:23] 8. You Can't Stop Me From Lovin' You
[3:10] 9. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[3:14] 10. Porgy
[3:24] 11. St. Louis Blues
[5:59] 12. Peace
[6:15] 13. Sister Sadie
[3:17] 14. Love Is The Thing
[3:12] 15. Don't Blame Me
[2:57] 16. Shadows On The Swanee
[4:40] 17. Blowin' The Blues Away
[4:53] 18. Break City

Ethel Waters was a blues and jazz singer and dramatic actress whose singing, based in the blues tradition, featured her full-bodied voice and slow vibrato.

"From the perspective of the 21st century, it is clear that few jazz musicians had a greater impact on the contemporary mainstream than Horace Silver. The hard bop style that Silver pioneered in the '50s is now dominant, played not only by holdovers from an earlier generation, but also by fuzzy-cheeked musicians who had yet to be born when the music fell out of critical favor in the '60s and '70s.

Silver's earliest musical influence was the Cape Verdean folk music he heard from his Portuguese-born father. Later, after he had begun playing piano and saxophone as a high schooler, Silver came under the spell of blues singers and boogie-woogie pianists, as well as boppers like Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. In 1950, Stan Getz played a concert in Hartford, Connecticut, with a pickup rhythm section that included Silver, drummer Walter Bolden, and bassist Joe Calloway. So impressed was Getz, he hired the whole trio. Silver had been saving his money to move to New York anyway; his hiring by Getz sealed the deal." ~Chris Kelsey

Break City

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Horace Silver Quintet - Juicy Lucy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:31
Size: 97.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:33] 1. Swingin' The Samba
[5:44] 2. Juicy Lucy
[4:50] 3. Come On Home
[5:29] 4. Cookin' At The Continental
[5:28] 5. You Happened My Way
[5:26] 6. Mellow D
[4:44] 7. Finger Poppin'
[5:15] 8. Sweet Stuff

From the perspective of the 21st century, it is clear that few jazz musicians had a greater impact on the contemporary mainstream than Horace Silver. The hard bop style that Silver pioneered in the '50s is now dominant, played not only by holdovers from an earlier generation, but also by fuzzy-cheeked musicians who had yet to be born when the music fell out of critical favor in the '60s and '70s.

Silver's earliest musical influence was the Cape Verdean folk music he heard from his Portuguese-born father. Later, after he had begun playing piano and saxophone as a high schooler, Silver came under the spell of blues singers and boogie-woogie pianists, as well as boppers like Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. In 1950, Stan Getz played a concert in Hartford, Connecticut, with a pickup rhythm section that included Silver, drummer Walter Bolden, and bassist Joe Calloway. So impressed was Getz, he hired the whole trio. Silver had been saving his money to move to New York anyway; his hiring by Getz sealed the deal.

Silver worked with Getz for a year, then began to freelance around the city with such big-time players as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Oscar Pettiford. In 1952, he recorded with Lou Donaldson for the Blue Note label; this date led him to his first recordings as a leader. In 1953, he joined forces with Art Blakey to form a cooperative under their joint leadership. The band's first album, Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, was a milestone in the development of the genre that came to be known as hard bop. Many of the tunes penned by Silver for that record -- "The Preacher," "Doodlin'," "Room 608" -- became jazz classics. By 1956, Silver had left the Messengers to record on his own. The series of Blue Note albums that followed established him for all time as one of jazz's major composer/pianists. LPs like Blowin' the Blues Away and Song for My Father (both recorded by an ensemble that included Silver's longtime sidemen Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook) featured Silver's harmonically sophisticated and formally distinctive compositions for small jazz ensemble.

Silver's piano style -- terse, imaginative, and utterly funky -- became a model for subsequent mainstream pianists to emulate. Some of the most influential horn players of the '50s, '60s, and '70s first attained a measure of prominence with Silver -- musicians like Donald Byrd, Woody Shaw, Joe Henderson, Benny Golson, and the Brecker Brothers all played in Silver's band at a point early in their careers. Silver has even affected members of the avant-garde; Cecil Taylor confesses a Silver influence, and trumpeter Dave Douglas played briefly in a Silver combo.

Silver recorded exclusively for Blue Note until that label's eclipse in the late '70s, whereupon he started his own label, Silveto. Silver's '80s work was poorly distributed. During that time he began writing lyrics to his compositions, and his work began to display a concern with music's metaphysical powers, as exemplified by album titles like Music to Ease Your Disease and Spiritualizing the Senses. In the '90s, Silver abandoned his label venture and began recording for Columbia. With his re-emergence on a major label, Silver once again received a measure of the attention his contributions deserve. Certainly, no one ever contributed a larger and more vital body of original compositions to the jazz canon. Silver died in New York on June 18, 2014 at the age of 85. ~bio by Chris Kelsey

Juicy Lucy mc
Juicy Lucy zippy

Friday, January 26, 2018

Horace Silver - Safari (1952-1954)

Styles: Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:54
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Safari
(2:55)  2. Thou Swell
(2:49)  3. Yeah
(3:48)  4. Horacescope (Horoscope)
(2:50)  5. Prelude To A Kiss
(3:11)  6. Ecaroh
(3:02)  7. Quicksilver
(2:49)  8. Knowledge Box
(3:28)  9. Opus De Funk
(3:01) 10. Day In, Day Out
(3:43) 11. How About You
(3:55) 12. I Remember You
(2:37) 13. Silverware
(3:05) 14. Buhaina
(6:45) 15. Doodlin'
(7:28) 16. Creepin' In
(5:22) 17. Room 608
(4:08) 18. Stop Time

Silver's music was a major force in modern jazz on at least four counts. He was the first important pioneer of the style known as hard bop, which combined elements of rhythm-and-blues and gospel music with jazz, influencing pianists such as Bobby Timmons, Les McCann, and Ramsey Lewis. Second, the instrumentation of his quintet (trumpet, tenor saxophone, piano, double bass, and drums) served as a model for small jazz groups from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. Further, Silver's ensembles provided an important training ground for young players, many of whom (such as Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, Blue Mitchell, Woody Shaw, Benny Golson, and Joe Henderson) later led similar groups of their own. Finally, Silver refined the art of composing and arranging for his chosen instrumentation to a level of craftsmanship as yet unsurpassed in jazz. He is a prolific composer, and one of very few jazz musicians to record almost exclusively original material; his work consistently combines simplicity and profundity in a rhythmically infectious style, which, despite its sophistication, sounds completely natural. Several of his compositions have become jazz standards, including The Preacher, Doodliti, Opus de Funk, Seflor Blues, Nica's Dream, Sister Sadie, and Song for my Father. From the mid-1960s Silver has written lyrics as well as music for a series of three quintet recordings, The United States of Mind, and recorded a number of albums featuring the quintet with ensembles of brass, woodwind, percussion, voices, and strings. His quintet continued to tour regularly in the 1980s, performing a wide range of material from his impressive and influential library of original works. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Safari-1952-1954-Horace-Silver/dp/B0000060SB

Safari (1952-1954)

Friday, September 1, 2017

Miles Davis All Stars - Walkin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:27
Size: 85.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1957/2014
Art: Front

[13:21] 1. Walkin'
[ 8:13] 2. Blue 'n' Boogie
[ 4:39] 3. Solar
[ 4:19] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[ 6:52] 5. Love Me Or Leave Me

Alto Saxophone – Davey Schildkraut; Bass – Percy Heath; Drums – Kenny Clarke; Piano – Horace Silver; Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson; Trombone – Jay Jay Johnson; Trumpet – Miles Davis.

The undeniable strength and conviction present in Miles Davis' performance on Walkin', underscores the urgency and passion with which he would rightfully reclaim his status as a primary architect of bop. Davis is supported by his all-stars, consisting of his primary rhythm unit: Horace Silver (piano), Percy Heath (bass), and Kenny Clarke (drums). The sextet featured on the title track, as well as "Blue 'n' Boogie," adds the talents of J.J. Johnson (trombone) and Lucky Thompson (tenor sax). Davis' quintet includes the primary trio and Dave Schildkraut (alto sax). Perhaps not an instantly recognizable name, Schildkraut nonetheless made some notable contributions to Stan Kenton's Kenton Showcase EPs, concurrent with his work with Miles. Walkin' commences with the extended title track, which follows a standard 12-bar blues theme. While the solos from Johnson and Thomson are unique, Miles retains a palpable sense of extrication from the music -- as if the song was an extension of his solo instead of the other way around. The lethargic rhythms reiterate the subtle adornments of the horn section to the basic trio. In direct contrast to "Walkin'" is a full-tilt jumper, "Blue 'n' Boogie." The improvisation yields some truly memorable solos and exchanges between Davis and Johnson -- who can be heard clearly quoting from Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning." "Solar" maintains a healthy tempo while drawing the listener in to the delicate interplay where the solos often dictate the melody. Horace Silver's piano solo is Ellington-esque in it's subdued elegance. The final track, "Love Me or Leave Me," gives the most solid indication of the direction Miles' impending breakthrough would take. So swift and certain is each note of his solo, it reflects the accuracy of someone thinking several notes ahead of what he is playing. Walking is a thoroughly solid effort. ~Lindsay Planer

Walkin'

Monday, August 14, 2017

Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:45
Size: 107,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Afrodisia
(4:18)  2. Lotus Flower
(4:26)  3. Minor's Holiday
(5:02)  4. Basheer's Dream
(5:32)  5. K.D.'s Motion
(5:19)  6. La Villa
(5:26)  7. Venita's Dance
(6:07)  8. Echo of Spring (aka K.D.'s Cab Ride)
(4:28)  9. Minor's Holiday (Alternate Take)

The fabled Spanish tinge has hovered on the fringes of jazz a lot longer ago that it was known to have been introduced into that idiom. Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton may have been the first to “claim” to have introduced it into the music, but in reality it is neither a proven but for Alan Lomax’s 1938 wax masters in the Library of Congress nor is necessary. Suffice it to say that the phrase Spanish tinge is a reference to the belief that an Afro-Latin rhythmic touch offers a reliable method of spicing the more conventional 4/4 rhythms commonly used in jazz music. The rhythm adaptation came from mimicking the sensuously quick step of the tresillo and shuffling skip of the habanera from Cuba of the day into the 4/4 rhythmic intervals of jazz. This is what is known today as clave, and once Dizzy Gillespie got a hold of it in the 1940s it has been in much greater use and thanks to the plethora of Afro-Caribbean folk forms has been almost completely embraced by musicians playing in the jazz idiom. However, those priceless recordings from the 1940s and 1950s, most precious among them being a 1993 compilation featuring selections by Machito and his orchestra entitled The Original Mambo Kings An Introduction to Afro-Cubop 1948-1954, which seduced such luminaries as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Flip Phillips and Howard McGhee and the ineffable Mario Bauzá as well. Another classic recording was the 1955 recording Afro-Cuban featuring by Kenny Dorham and spotlighting the percussionist Carlos “Patato” Valdés.

Mr. Dorham had a sensationally pristine tone; husky and sensuous and full of forthright humility. His best work bespoke the rapid fire rhythm of bebop coloured in golden bronze. On Afro-Cuban he doffs his proverbial hat to the rhythms of the Afro-Caribbean part of the southern continent with full-blooded and messianic fervour. The album combines five tracks played in this vein and five tracks without the Carlos “Patato” Valdés. The Afro-Cuban music rumbles with the gravitas of the great bassist, Oscar Pettiford and baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne. Mr. Dorham soars over them like a majestic condor, howling on the wing as he mashes triplets with hot arpeggios and buttery glissandi. The group also features the dry warmth of tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley and the legendary trombonist J. J. Johnson. Carlos “Patato” Valdés is not the only crowning glory. That honour also belongs to Art Blakey, who trades “fourths” with Mr. Valdés. All of this makes for memorable charts such as “Afrodisia” the bolero-melded-into-a ballad, “Lotus Blossom.” Mr. Dorham’s playing is absolutely celestial here. The racy “Minor’s Holiday” provides a welcome change of pace for the rhythmists, but Mr. Dorham is utterly cool in his solo. Horace Silver, the pianist on this date is almost too self-effacing as he plays quietly tempered soli whenever he is called upon to do so, both here as well as on the beguiling “Basheer’s Dream.”

The rest of the album features alumni from this session without Mr. Pettiford, who is replaced by Percy Heath. This session begins with the medium fast blues, “K.D’s Motion” in which Mr. Dorham ad-libs for four glorious choruses before handing over to Hank Mobley. Horace Silver also displays splendid form in his solo. “La Villa” features a twisting melody played at great speed. Mr. Dorham solos beautifully and yammers almost endlessly and Mr. Silver chops up a fine solo here too before the song returns to its erudite and gravity-defying unison setting. “Venita’s Dance” features a skipping rhythm swathed in a pensive melodic line. Mr. Dorham is once again brilliant and Hank Mobley is sinewy; but he is matched muscle for muscle by Cecil Payne and Horace Silver. “K.D’s Cab Ride,” another scorching bebop chart completes this unforgettable album, one that ought to make into every true enthusiast’s collection.https://latinjazznet.com/reviews/cds/essential-albums/kenny-dorham-afro-cuban/

Personnel: Kenny Dorham: trumpet; J.J. Johnson: trombone; Hank Mobley: tenor saxophone; Cecil Payne: baritone saxophone; Horace Silver: piano; Oscar Pettiford: bass (1 – 4, 9); Art Blakey: drums; Carlos “Patato” Valdes: congas (1 – 4, 9); Ritchie Goldberg: cowbell (1 – 4, 9); Percy Heath: bass (5 – 8).

Afro-Cuban

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Gigi Gryce - Nica's Tempo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:09
Size: 99,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. Speculation
(4:26)  2. In a Meditating Mood
(2:46)  3. Social Call
(3:42)  4. Smoke Signal
(3:29)  5. (You'll Always Be) the One I Love
(3:03)  6. Kerry Dance
(5:03)  7. Shuffle Boil
(4:47)  8. Brakes Sake
(5:30)  9. Gallop's Gallop
(6:11) 10. Nica's Tempo

Oh...if these sessions could have only been issued in separate long forms with the bands that are included. Nica's Tempo comprises six tracks with Gigi Gryce's groundbreaking big band, and another four ostensibly as a member of the Thelonious Monk quartet, all from 1955. Each band showcases the estimable compositional and arranging genius of Gryce, as well as his unique sound on the alto saxophone. In this CD format, the music serves a purpose in displaying Gryce's many talents, but ultimately leaves the listener wanting more. What the orchestra tracks offer in terms of an advanced concept paired with extraordinary musicianship is indisputably brilliant. The combination of Gryce with Monk is unparalleled in another way, the brief but fruitful joining of jazz masters that helped both of them grow, while attaining a symbiosis that Monk only reached briefly with Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and later in extensia with Charlie Rouse. Gryce is perfectly situated in his element, able to not only exploit the individualism of his bandmates, but play his slightly tart alto sax in a manner that very few have ever imagined. His shining charts emphasize lower octave tones by baritone saxes, trombones, French horns, tuba, the lone trumpet of Art Farmer, and no extra woodwinds. This larger band, averaging ten pieces, is influenced by Duke Ellington during the fully flowered ballad "In a Meditating Mood," or traditional Irish music on the short and sweet, perfectly layered, bluesy swinger "Kerry Dance." Dizzy Gillespie's complex bop visage is present for the nifty, sub-toned, dynamically controlled in mezzo piano, hard surfaced and simmering "Smoke Signal," with clever meter switchings from 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4, while Bill Barber's tuba lurks underneath. 

The opener "Speculation" reflects its title, with the composer Horace Silver's piano solo intro nicely drawn out, merging into warm simple horn charts with off-minor flourishes a great jazz composition especially engaging considering this is an emerging Silver at age 27. Ernestine Anderson's Sarah Vaughan styled dusky voice is featured in slight echoplex production on the all-time classic "Social Call" about a left behind lover still hoping for a reconnect, while her confessional balladic rendition of (You'll Always Be) "The One I Love" is as passionate as any romantic love song ever. The Monk quartet tracks are as precious as can be, with the dynamite rhythm section of Percy Heath and Art Blakey really on top of it. The pianist is happy to hand the spotlight to Gryce on selections made more famous later on by Herbie Nichols or the Steve Lacy and Roswell Rudd bands. He's comfortably animated during "Shuffle Boil" cutting loose with flurries of notes, using staccato and staggered phrases for "Brake's Sake," and traverses the treacherous, slippery melody of "Gallop's Gallop" as if it had no degree of difficulty. Gryce's Nica's Tempo concludes in off-minor and obtuse angles as Monk liked it, with Heath and Blakey swinging expertly as only they could. These performances are nothing short of flawless, and though one might wish for additional tracks or outtakes, this album remains highly recommended with no reservation, and one for the ages. 
~ Michaael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/nicas-tempo-mw0000092265

Personnel: Gigi Gryce (alto saxophone); Ernestine Anderson (vocals); Danny Bank, Cecil Payne (baritone saxophone); Art Farmer (trumpet); Gunther Schuller, Julius Watkins (French horn); Eddie Bert, Jimmy Cleveland (trombone); Bill Barber (tuba); Horace Silver, Thelonious Monk (piano); Oscar Pettiford, Percy Heath (bass); Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey (drums).

Nica's Tempo

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Horace Silver - The Very Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:35
Size: 111.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:45] 1. Doodlin'
[4:19] 2. The Preacher
[6:59] 3. Senor Blues
[6:14] 4. Soulville
[6:15] 5. Sister Sadie
[7:13] 6. Song For My Father
[4:59] 7. The Cape Verdean Blues
[5:47] 8. The Jody Grind

As part of Blue Note's Very Best series, pianist Horace Silver is spotlighted on eight tracks recorded between 1954 and 1966. This set includes the Silver-penned classics "The Preacher," "Song for My Father," "Doodlin'," and "The Jody Grind." Silver's backing bands include fellow Blue Note alumni Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, Blue Mitchell, Joe Henderson, and Junior Cook, among others, making this a quality sampler for the novice at a mid-line price. ~Al Campbell

The Very Best

Friday, November 18, 2016

J.R. Monterose - J.R. Monterose

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:45
Size: 111,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. Wee-Jay
(5:18)  2. The Third
(8:06)  3. Bobbie Pin
(6:33)  4. Marc V
(9:04)  5. Ka-Link
(5:26)  6. Beauteous
(7:17)  7. Wee-Jay (alternate take)

Tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose (Frank Anthony Monterose, Jr.) made only two appearances on Blue Note, both in 1956 one with trumpeter Kenny Dorham's Jazz Prophets recorded live at the Café Bohemia and the other as a leader of his own crack hard bop unit. It was an early ascendancy for Monterose, who had recorded with bassist Charles Mingus, vibraphonist Teddy Charles, and worked in the big bands of arranger Claude Thornhill and drummer Buddy Rich. But unlike tenor players Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley and Tina Brooks, Monterose wouldn't make a home (and barely a sonic dent) on Alfred Lion's label, much less in New York. He was soon back in his hometown of Utica and not long for a European sojourn that lasted most of the rest of his life.  Presumably, it had nothing to do with Monterose's abilities that his time with Blue Note was so brief; rather, a loss of the proverbial cabaret card scuttled his appearances in the city and his ability to make work. On this program of three originals and readings of tunes by session drummer Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers and Donald Byrd, he's joined by scene regulars in pianist Horace Silver and Jones, as well as Chicagoans bassist Wilbur Ware and multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan. Sullivan is heard here on trumpet, but also had baritone, alto saxophone and flute in his arsenal.  Perhaps one reason Monterose's name isn't mentioned even among the heavy birds in Blue Note's stable is because his sound was, even at this fairly early stage, extraordinarily individual echoes of Chu Berry and Coleman Hawkins in his massive tone and the odd, quotable cadences of Sonny Rollins. Yet his influence lay more in pianists. Harmonically, Monterose cited Bud Powell (which would give him a passing affinity with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean), and his solos are odd-metered whirls, half-dissolved licks and emphatic blats that seem directly linked to isolationist pianistic flourishes. The leader's mid-tempo composition "Wee Jay" is the lead-off track here, and is reprised in an alternate take on this Rudy Van Gelder remaster edition.

Monterose probes shards of the theme, a lilting and fragmentary cadence of honks and blats with their edges rounded and velvety, slowly strung together in flourishes and then broken apart. There are echoes of Rollins (circa the contemporaneous Vanguard recordings) in his attack. Lingering a little behind the beat he's still an extraordinarily rhythmic player, riding the rhythm section's wave in alternating swirls and pointillist jabs. Silver is conspicuously absent for the first few bars of Monterose's solo, perhaps trying to find a way in with his comping the tenor man's phrases are obviously a world unto themselves. For those used to Silver's hard, churchy approach, his touch is much lighter here, perhaps because Monterose, Ware and Philly Joe bring such meat to the proceedings. Donald Byrd's "The Third" follows; a jagged and nearly stop-time theme that fits well with Monterose's sinewy and stammering patterns as a soloist. He takes cues from Silver's arpeggiated cascades, hopping and pirouetting into a collective dance with Sullivan. The trumpeter is an excellent front line foil, a brittle and ragged logic that fills the holes in the leader's quixotic play of force and filigree. It's hard to imagine a player like Monterose making cookie-cutter hard bop sessions the likes of which fill out the catalogs of many jazz labels from the period. However, he was certainly up to the task of making a warm and utterly unique contribution to the field, and having this date available again in stunning sound is a welcome homage to an uncompromising and individual saxophonist. ~ Clifford Allen https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jr-monterose-jr-monterose-by-clifford-allen.php

Personnel:  J.R. Monterose: tenor saxophone;  Ira Sullivan: trumpet;  Horace Silver: piano;  Wilbur Ware: bass;  Philly Joe Jones: drums.

J.R. Monterose