Listening Room – “The Fox”

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

This 1959 Contemporary Records recording showcases the talents of a young Harold Land on tenor sax. On this quintet session, Land records four of pianist Elmo Hope’s originals as well as two of his own. The album features little-known trumpeter Dupree Bolton, who more than holds his own with the rest of the players. All fans of hard bop and straight ahead jazz should check out this underrated classic.

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Released 1959 : Contemporary Records : Catalog # M 3619/S 7619

Players:
Harold Land – Tenor Sax
Dupree Bolton – Trumpet
Elmo Hope – Piano
Herbie Lewis – Bass
Frank Butler – Drums

Harold Land – The Fox from “The Fox”

Harold Land – One Down from “The Fox”

Listening Room – “All Night Session! Vols. 1-3″

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

The title pretty much says it all: In November of 1956 Hampton Hawes entered the studio one evening and didn’t leave until the next morning. The result was three LPs worth of great music that comes off more like a live gig than a studio recording. Hawes (one of my personal favorites) normally recorded in a trio setting so the addition of Jim Hall on guitar really opened up the proceedings for all involved. In 2007, Definitive Records released all three volumes on one nicely remastered double CD, a really nice way to have all this great West Coast bop in one place.

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Released 1956 : Contemporary Records : Catalog #’s C 3545, C 3546, C 3547

Original Covers:

Players:
Hampton Hawes – Piano
Jim Hall – Guitar
Red Mitchell – Bass
Eldridge Freeman – Drums

Hampton Hawes – Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea from “All Night Session, Vol 1-3″

Hampton Hawes – Blues #3 from “All Night Session, Vol 1-3″

Hampton Hawes – Blue ‘n’ Boogie from “All Night Session, Vol 1-3″

Hampton Hawes – Takin’ Care from “All Night Session, Vol 1-3″

Hampton Hawes – Groovin’ High from “All Night Session, Vol 1-3″

Listening Room – “Blackstone Legacy

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Woody Shaw – Blackstone Legacy

Woody Shaw – Boo Ann’s Grand

From “Blackstone Legacy” : 1970 : Contemporary 7627/8

Originally issued as a double LP, this 1970 record was trumpeter Woody Shaw’s debut as a leader and was ambitious to say the least. The music on “Blackstone Legacy” is not easy to classify, and a look at the lineup that Shaw assembled for the session gives a hint at the exciting music within. Bennie Maupin and Gary Bartz on the saxophones, two bassists: Ron Carter & Clint Houston and Lenny White on the drums were all players that had experience with the progressive jazz Shaw was looking to put down on wax. A landmark recording in the realm of modern music, any fan of creative music should give it a listen.

Players:
Woody Shaw – Trumpet
Bennie Maupin – Tenor Sax, Bass Clarinet, Flute
Gary Bartz – Alto & Soprano Sax
George Cables – Electric Piano
Ron Carter – Bass
Clint Houston – Bass
Lenny White – Drums

Listening Room – “Looking Ahead!”

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

cecilahead

Cecil Taylor – Luyah! The Glorious Step

Cecil Taylor – Wallering

From “Looking Ahead!” : 1958 : Contemporary M 3562

An early recording by pianist Cecil Taylor, this quartet recording features Earl Griffith on the vibes and was released in 1958 on Contemporary Records. The tracks Luyah! The Glorious Step and Wallering (both Taylor originals) show an unrelentless talent at work and the whole album hints at the amazing body of work Cecil Taylor would produce over the next five decades (and still making today!).

Players:
Cecil Taylor – Piano
Earl Griffith – Vibes
Buell Nedlinger – Bass
Dennis Charles – Drums

Listening Room – “Tomorrow Is The Question!”

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Tomorrow Is The Question

Ornette Coleman – Tomorrow Is The Question!

Ornette Coleman – Endless

From “Tomorrow Is The Question” : 1959 : Contemporary Records

This is early Ornette Coleman, recorded for the Contemporary Records label in 1959. It firmly sets in place the path Coleman would follow only a few years later on his genre bending albums for Atlantic Records.

Players:
Ornette Coleman – Alto Sax
Don Cherry – Trumpet
Red Mitchell – Bass
Shelly Manne – Drums

Listening Room – “Four!”

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Hampton Hawes – “Yardbird Suite”

Hampton Hawes – “Like Someone In Love”

From “Four!” : 1958 : Contemporary Records

Hampton Hawes was a fixture of the 50′s West Coast jazz scene and recorded many fantastic albums for the Contemporary Records label during this time. Although Hawes is probably best known for his trio recordings from this time, he changes things up a bit for this quartet release featuring Barney Kessel on guitar. [Kessel was so popular on jazz guitar at this time that in 1961 Gibson introduced the signature Barney Kessel Custom guitar which stayed in production until 1973]

Players:
Hampton Hawes – Piano
Barney Kessel – Guitar
Red Mitchell – Bass
Shelly Manne – Drums

Listening Room – “Art Pepper + 11: Modern Jazz Classics”

Posted on February 8, 2009 by Jazz Sermon

Art Pepper – Four Brothers

Art Pepper – Groovin’ High

From “Art Pepper + 11” : 1959 : Contemporary Records

This album on the Contemporary Records label is considered a classic jazz recording by its many fans. The alto saxophone player Art Pepper is at the peak of his powers, as he and a mini big band explore classic tunes from the bop and cool jazz era. Marty Paich does the arrangements, Jimmy Guiffre wrote the tune “Four Brothers” and Dizzy Gillespie composed “Groovin’ High”.

Players:
Art Pepper – Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Clarinet
Pete Candoli – Trumpet
Jack Shelton – Trumpet
Dick Nash – Trombone
Bob Envoldsen – Valve Trombone
Vince DeRosa – French Horn
Bud Shank – Alto Sax
Richie Kamuka – Tenor Sax
Med Flory – Baritone Sax
Russ Freeman – Piano
Joe Mondragon – Bass
Mel Lewis – Drums

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