Listening Room – “Hustlin”

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

From “Hustlin” : 1964 : Blue Note BLP 4162

This 1964 session is another great album from the husband and wife team of Stanley Turrentine and Shirley Scott. All of their recordings are worth checking out and this one is no exception, especially with the addition of Kenny Burrell on guitar. One year earlier Turrentine had joined Burrell on his classic album “Midnight Blue”, so the two were familiar with each other and it shows. The somewhat obscure drummer Otis Finch anchors the group very well, and as always Bob Cranshaw is solid on the bass. When Blue Note put out “Hustlin” in 2002 as part of their Rudy Van Gelder series it was the first time that the album had been released on CD in the U.S.

Players:
Stanley Turrentine – Tenor Sax
Shirley Scott – Organ
Kenny Burrell – Guitar
Bob Cranshaw – Bass
Otis Finch – Drums

Listening Room – “Inventions & Dimensions”

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

Herbie Hancock – “Succotash”

Herbie Hancock – “A Jump Ahead”

From “Inventions & Dimensions” : 1963 : BLP 4147

After debuting on Blue Note with two very successful albums (“Takin’ Off” & “My Point of View”), Herbie Hancock quickly showed off the adventurous spirit that would go on to make him one of the most important purveyors of jazz over the next 4 decades (and still today!). Rather than continue with his previous winning formula, Hancock changed gears and put together a quartet that focused almost entirely on rhythm. Even though Willie Bobo and Chihuaha Martinez are providing the percussion, this album is not Latin jazz in the least, but rather is a classic hard bop session. The overall feel of the album is a very spacious one, as if there is larger group playing than the one assembled. Because this album preceded two stone cold jazz classics from Hancock (“Empyrean Isles” and “Maiden Voyage”) it is often overlooked in his vast discography, but it certainly should not be. In the hands of a lesser talent this recording could easily fall flat, but as he has done so many times over Hancock finds a way to take the expected and make it unexpectedly amazing.

Players:
Herbie Hancock (p)
Paul Chambers (b)
Willie Bobo (d, tim)
Osvaldo “Chihuahau” Martinez (cga, bgo, finger cymb, guiro)

Listening Room – “Life Time”

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

Tony Williams – “Two Pieces Of One: Red”

Tony Williams – “Two Pieces Of One: Green”

Tony Williams – “Memory”

From “Life Time” : 1964 : Blue Note BLP 4180

Tony Williams debut album as a leader (he was still going by Anthony Williams when it was issued) is a great example of some classic Blue Note post bop. The lineup features a strong group of label regulars at the time, including the under appreciated Sam Rivers on tenor saxophone. The tracks Two Pieces of One: Red and Two Pieces of One: Green took up all of side one of the original LP and feature all the players except Hutcherson. Williams wrote all of the compositions on the album and the open feel to much of the music shows that even as a young eighteen year old he had many of the chops in place that would make him one of the all time great jazz drummers.

Players:
Sam Rivers – Tenor Sax
Gary Peacock – Bass
Richard Davis – Bass
Ron Carter – Bass
Bobby Hutcherson – Vibes
Herbie Hancock – Piano
Tony Williams – Drums & Percussion

Listening Room – “Roots & Herbs”

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – “Look At The Birdie”

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – “Master Mind”

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – “Roots & Herbs”

From “Roots & Herbs” : 1961 : Blue Note BST 84347

Recorded in 1961, but not released until 1969, “Roots & Herbs” features one of the great editions of the Jazz Messengers. This group recorded extensively for Blue Note in 1960-1961 (there is an entire Mosaic box set devoted just to this group, out-of-print of course!) and all of their output was excellent. This shelved album is no exception, although it is unique in that it features all Wayne Shorter compositions, which gives a nice look into the young mind of an artist who would soon go on to become one of jazz’s great modern composers.

Players:
Lee Morgan – Trumpet
Wayne Shorter – Saxophone
Bobby Timmons – Piano
Walter Davis, Jr. – Piano
Jymie Merritt – Bass
Art Blakey – Drums

Listening Room – “Byrd In Flight”

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Jazz Sermon

Donald Byrd – “Ghana”

Donald Byrd – “Gate City”

Donald Byrd – “Child’S Play”

From “Byrd in Flight” : 1960 : Blue Note BLP 4048

A great example of the classic Blue Note hard bop sound, “Byrd in Flight” features some of the labels finest players from the early 1960′s joining Donald Byrd including Hank Mobley and Duke Pearson. For some reason this album is currently out of print, it was issued on CD in 1996 as part of the Blue Note Connoisseur Series but is no longer available. Enjoy!!

Players:
Donald Byrd – Trumpet
Hank Mobley – Tenor Sax
Duke Pearson – Piano
Doug Watkins – Bass
Lex Humphries – Drums

Listening Room – Expansions

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

McCoy Tyner – Vision

McCoy Tyner – Smitty’s Place

From “Expansions” : 1968 : Blue Note BST 84338

A classic (but out-of-print) session from a post-Coltrane McCoy Tyner. With a group of all-star players – including Wayne Shorter, Woody Shaw, Gary Bartz and Ron Carter – this album deserves a wider audience. The album opens with Vision which fully showcases the soloing skills of all the players, with Carter’s cello and Shaw’s trumpet playing really standing out. Smitty’s Place has a great enthusiastic feeling as the group bounces and swings with each other. Overall the record is a nice blend of the hard-bop and post-bop styles, with just the right amount of free-jazz and avant-garde elements to make the record a nice summation of Tyner’s career up to this point and where it would soon be heading in just a few years with his outstanding albums of the 1970′s.

Players:
McCoy Tyner – Piano
Woody Shaw – Trumpet
Gary Bartz – Alto Sax, Wooden Flute
Wayne Shorter – Tenor Sax, Clarinet
Ron Carter – Cello
Herbie Lewis – Bass
Freddie Waits – Drums

Listening Room – “Action”

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Jackie McLean – Plight from “Action”

Jackie McLean – Hootnan from “Action”

From “Action” : 1964 : Blue Note BLP 4218

A great album from a period when it seemed Jackie McLean could do no wrong, “Action” is full of exciting and challenging music. McLean is joined by Charles Tolliver (who was one of his main collaborators at this time) and Bobby Hutcherson’s righteous vibe playing is featured prominently throughout the record. Plight is a classic written by Tolliver and the Mclean composition Hootnan would probably be considered the most in line with the classic Blue Note sound as it best known, while still fitting in with the adventurous sound of the album as a whole.

Players:
Jackie McLean – Alto Sax
Charles Tolliver – Trumpet
Bobby Hutcherson – Vibes
Cecil McBee – Bass
Billy Higgins – Drums

Listening Room – “Mustang!”

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Donald Byrd – Mustang

Donald Byrd – On The Trail

From “Mustang!” : 1966 : Blue Note BLP 4238

“Mustang!” is a straight ahead jazz session featuring some of the top horn players in the Blue Note stables at the time. Donald Byrd is joined by Hank Mobley and Sonny Red and all three play together wonderfully. Also sitting in on the session is McCoy Tyner, who adds some great piano lines to the hard bop mix. A refreshing record from 1966 that stays in the pocket while much of the jazz world was straying into free jazz and the avant-garde.

Players:
Donald Byrd – Trumpet
Hank Mobley – Tenor Sax
Sonny Red – Alto Sax
McCoy Tyner – Piano
Walter Booker – Bass
Freddie Waits – Drums

Listening Room – “Schizophrenia”

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Wayne Shorter – Kryptonite

Wayne Shorter – Tom Thumb

From “Schizophrenia” : 1967 : Blue Note BST 84297

Players:
Wayne Shorter – Tenor Sax
James Spaulding – Alto Sax, Flute
Curtis Fuller – Trombone
Herbie Hancock – Piano
Ron Carter – Bass
Joe Chambers – Drums

Listening Room: “New Soil”

Posted on June 24, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

“New Soil” was the first Jackie McLean album released on Blue Note (although it wasn’t the first session he recorded for the label) and it firmly shows the roots of the classic recordings that would soon follow. Mostly bluesy, the music also stretches out a bit and featured two McLean originals and four (very good) tracks penned by the pianist Walter Davis, Jr. Donald Byrd sits in on the trumpet as does Paul Chambers on bass. All of McLean’s Blue Note albums are worth owning, and “New Soil” is no exception.

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Released 1959 : Blue Note Records : Catalog # BLP 4013

Players:
Jackie McLean – Alto Sax
Donald Byrd – Trumpet
Walter Davis, Jr. – Piano
Paul Chambers – Bass
Pete LaRoca – Drums

Jackie McLean – Minor Apprehension from “New Soil”

Jackie McLean – Greasy from “New Soil”