James Clay - I Let a Song to Out of My Heart

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@192K/s
Time: 68:09
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:46) 1. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
(8:24) 2. My Foolish Heart
(6:31) 3. Rain Check
(6:14) 4. The Very Thought of You
(6:58) 5. I Mean You
(5:07) 6. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
(7:20) 7. Just in Time
(7:12) 8. I Can't Get Started
(7:07) 9. John Paul Jones A.K.A. Trane's Blues
(7:25) 10. Body and Soul

James Clay, a thick-toned tenor saxophonist who knew Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry in the 1950s, recorded a bit near the end of the decade, spent ten years touring with Ray Charles, and then in the late '60s moved back to his native Texas. He was not heard from for quite some time, until he worked a bit with Don Cherry in 1988. In 1989 he led his first record date in 29 years and it is excellent, a fine straight-ahead quartet outing with pianist Cedar Walton, bassist David Williams, and drummer Billy Higgins. Although not flawless (there are occasional reed squeaks and a few brief wandering moments), this is one of James Clay's finest recordings. He is well featured on ten jazz standards including "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," "Raincheck," "I Mean You," and "Trane's Blues." Recommended.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/i-let-a-song-go-out-of-my-heart-mw0000320510

I Let a Song to Out of My Heart

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James Clay - Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:37
Size: 152.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:36] 2. The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[4:30] 3. Easy Living
[4:32] 4. Minor Meeting
[3:40] 5. Airtight
[4:46] 6. Willow Weep For Me
[4:27] 7. Three Fingers North
[4:12] 8. Lover Man
[4:16] 9. Marbles
[2:41] 10. It's Allright With Me
[5:29] 11. Scrapple From The Apple
[6:15] 12. Out Of The Blue
[5:31] 13. Sandu
[8:07] 14. Cheek To Cheek

James Clay (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Peter Littman (d), Lorraine Geller (p), Red Mitchell (b), Sonny Clark (p), Lawrence Marable (d).

In the summer of 1956 James Clay was a 20-year-old tenor saxophonist from Dallas, who had been living and playing in Los Angeles since mid-1955. At that time his colleagues were all young and independent experimentalists, completely outside of the flourishing West Coast jazz movement – players like trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Billy Higgins, and altoist Ornette Coleman – and though he said he was not an outside player, he worked easily within the unconventional settings of Coleman’s compositions.

Paradoxically, however, his only recordings were straight ahead, not at all in line with Ornette’s controversial music. On them his ideas flow melodically, especially in ballads and mid-tempos. On faster tunes, his blowing statements come from the strong swinging style and hot tone that characterized other Texas tenors such as Illinois Jacquet and Arnett Cobb, with a hard-bop approach clearly influenced by his idol Sonny Rollins. This CD contains all James Clay studio performances on tenor sax while the young kid from Dallas was living in Los Angeles in the mid Fifties.

Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

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James Clay - A Double Dose of Soul

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1960/2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:21
Size: 93,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:37) 1. New Delhi
(6:36) 2. I Remember You
(5:41) 3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(8:03) 4. Pockets
(5:59) 5. Pavanne
(4:11) 6. Linda Serene
(3:11) 7. Lost Tears

James Clay only led two record sessions before settling in obscurity in Texas, where he would not be rediscovered until the late '80s. Cannonball Adderley helped present him on Riverside in 1960, so it seemed fair that Clay utilized several of Adderley's sidemen on this session (cornetist Nat Adderley or vibraphonist Victor Feldman, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Louis Hayes) along with a young Gene Harris on piano. Clay splits his time between his lyrical flute and tough tenor, proving to be an excellent bop-based improviser. [The CD reissue adds two alternate takes to the original LP program, highlighted by Feldman's "New Delhi," "Come Rain or Come Shine," and Nat's blues "Pockets."]~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-double-dose-of-soul-mw0000678746

Personnel: Saxophone [Tenor] – James Clay; Flute – James Clay; Bass – Sam Jones; Cornet – Nat Adderley; Drums – Louis Hayes; Piano – Gene Harris; Vibraphone – Victor Feldman

A Double Dose of Soul

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James Clay - Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 66:35
Size: 152.5 MB
Styles: Hard bop
Year: 1956/2011
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:36] 2. The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[4:30] 3. Easy Living
[4:31] 4. Minor Meeting
[3:40] 5. Airtight
[4:46] 6. Willow Weep From Me
[4:27] 7. Three Fingers North
[4:12] 8. Lover Man
[4:16] 9. Marbles
[2:41] 10. It's Alright With Me
[5:29] 11. Scrapple From The Apple
[6:15] 12. Out Of The Blue
[5:31] 13. Sandu
[8:07] 14. Cheek To Cheek

In the summer of 1956 James Clay was a 20-year-old tenor saxophonist from Dallas, who had been living and playing in Los Angeles since mid-1955. At that time his colleagues were all young and independent experimentalists, completely outside of the flourishing West Coast jazz movement – players like trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Billy Higgins, and altoist Ornette Coleman – and though he said he was not an outside player, he worked easily within the unconventional settings of Coleman’s compositions.

Paradoxically, however, his only recordings were straight ahead, not at all in line with Ornette’s controversial music. On them his ideas flow melodically, especially in ballads and mid-tempos. On faster tunes, his blowing statements come from the strong swinging style and hot tone that characterized other Texas tenors such as Illinois Jacquet and Arnett Cobb, with a hard-bop approach clearly influenced by his idol Sonny Rollins. This CD contains all James Clay studio performances on tenor sax while the young kid from Dallas was living in Los Angeles in the mid Fifties.

Track #1: James Clay (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), Jimmy Bond (b) and Peter Littman. Recorded at Forum Theatre, Los Angeles, on July 25, 1956.
Tracks #2-9: James Clay (ts & fl), Sonny Clark (p), Jimmy Bond (b) and Lawrence Marable (d). Recorded at Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood, on August 4, 1956.

Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

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