Willis Jackson - Thunderbird (1962) [vinyl]

A massive groover - and a set that rumbles as much as you might guess from the title! The album's got Willis Jackson blowing in a very open, loud tenor tone - working with an unusual group that features Freddie Roach on organ, and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar - the former a hip, smooth keyboardist, the latter a rougher, bluesier player - making for a really nice mix of modes! There's a deep soul jazz bottom throughout - and titles include "Thunderbird", "Lady Be Good", "Back & Forth", and "California Sun". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Right from the title track opener, it's apparent that Jackson's heading straight for basic soul-jazz. Anchoring the composition around a basic R&B riff and Jackson's wailing tenor, it's the kind of song that could have been used just as well for teenage twisting as jazz bars, which is not to its detriment at all. While the cover of "California Sun" (which would be a number pop hit for the Rivieras in 1964) also seems like a stab at pop accessibility, there are detours into more inside jazz with the interpretations of "Body and Soul" and the Gershwins' "Oh Lady, Be Good." "A Penny Serenade," grounded by Ray Barretto's congas, ends the set on a lively and playful note. Freddie Roach fills the organ chair on this set, and guitarist Bill Jennings gets some tasteful licks in, particularly during "A Penny Serenade." ~ Extract by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 7232, 1962

Recorded 31^st March, 1962 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Freddie Roach - Organ

Bill Jennings - Guitar

Wendell Marshall - Bass

Frank Shea - Drums

Ray Barretto - Congas

Tracks:

A1. Thunderbird {Willis Jackson} (5:04)

A2. Oh, Lady Be Good {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (5:25)

A3. Back & Forth {Willis Jackson, Bill Jennings} (9:15)

B1. California Sun {Henry Glover, Morris Levy} (3:50)

B2. Body & Soul {Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour} (7:52)

B3. A Penny Serenade {Darren Halifax, Melle Weersma} (7:45)

Credits:

Supervisor - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Cover Photo - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - LeRoi Jones

Don Patterson - Oh Happy Day (1969) [re-rip]

Don's got a great group on here - featuring trumpeter Virgil Jones, plus a twin tenor lineup on most tracks that includes George Coleman and Houston Person. The album includes one very long, very nice groover called "Hip Trip" - and it also features a cover of Edwin Hawkins "Oh Happy Day", turned into a surprisingly nice solo vehicle, plus "Perdido", "Good Time Theme", and "Blue 'N Boogie". © Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Despite claims to the contrary, organist Don Patterson was very much of the Jimmy Smith School, a hard-driving player with fine improvising skills but lacking a distinctive sound of his own. This set features Patterson in prime form in a group that features trumpeter Virgil Jones and both George Coleman (who solos first on “Perdido” and second on his other appearances) and Houston Person on tenors. Although "Oh Happy Day" is a throwaway, Patterson's spirited renditions of the blues and standards make this a fairly definitive example of his talents. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Not sure I really take to Scott’s appraisal; what is a 'throwaway' the album or the tune?

Prestige Records, PR 7640, 1969

Recorded 2^nd June, 1969 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Don Patterson - Organ

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone (#A2,B1,B2)

Frankie Jones - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Oh Happy Day {Edwin Hawkins} (7:19)

A2. Perdido {Ervin Drake, Hans Lengsfelder, Juan Tizol} (8:50)

A3. Good Time Theme {Oliver, Mike Douglas} (3:41)

B1. Hip Trip {Don Patterson} (13:41)

B2. Blue 'N Boogie {Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli} (4:44)

Credits:

Supervision - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Yvonne Daniels (August, 1969)

Albert Ayler - Witches and Devils (1964) [vinyl>flac]

Review by Barry McRae, Jazz Journal, July, 1972:
Some records are recommended because they are historically significant, others because they are just downright enjoyable. This album has the advantage of being both. Ayler is one of the really important players and this was the first record to find him in the company of men of equal stature. Murray makes a really telling contribution, with a jagged line that manages to achieve the flowing quality normally associated with more legato drummers. The brilliant Grimes is on all but one track and he contributes his normal creative figures even when sharing the bass duties with Henderson. Howard is from Ayler's hometown, Cleveland, Ohio and they had worked together there from some time before this date and, although melodically less ambitious than Ayler, he plays well.
Ayler's work needs little introduction at this stage. Here he makes use of his usual exaggerated vibrato, plays with great relaxation and offers impressive inventive powers. His solos are developed from a thematic starting point and gradually developed rather than reconstructed. This is particularly true of Holy, Holy, recorded elsewhere as The Wizard, where he uses his own composition as a genuine inspiration. On Witches we are more conscious of his exploitation of tonal variation and he pays considerable attention to variations of timbre, while Saints shows his mastery of slow material. Spirits is not the tune of the same title found on Spiritual Unity, but showcases another talent of Ayler's, as he displays superb instrumental control while moving into the upper register without a hint of tenseness.
Ayler uses freedom only as much as it suited his style. On this record he does not move too far out and there are few moments when the original melodic idea is jettisoned. There is a shapeliness in his phrasing and logicality in his improvisations that give his work meaning as well as depth and this, allied to the emotional quality of his music, ensures an album that offers the best aspects of contemporary jazz.

I purchased this back in '79 for £0.50, without sleeve. I played it to a friend of mine, who covered her ears and left the room! She described it as akin to the sound of a fly trapped in a bottle. A different view from Mr McRae's and also of Max Harrison (an article included in the post), but Ayler tends to have that 'love him or hate him' impact. This is the only Ayler record I own, but it's one I shall always keep.

(a) Witches And Devils
(b) Spirits
(c) Holy Holy
(b) Saints

(a) Norman Howard (tpt): Albert Ayler (ten): Henry Grimes, Earle Henderson (bs); Sonny Murray (dm).
(b) as (a) but omit Henderson.
(c) as (a) but omit Grimes. NYC, 24/2/1964

Bernt Rosengren - Surprise Party (1983) [vinyl>flac]

Sweden's top saxophonist/composer/arranger/bandleader Rosengren (b. 1937) gained wide recognition through his work with Krzysztof Komeda in Poland and his performance in the soundtrack of Polanski's film "Knife In The Water" in 1962. Later he played with George Russell, Don Cherry and Lars Gullin. In the late 70s he formed a group with Doug Raney, who is appearing in this recording on one track as a guest player. ~ steeplechase.dk

SteepleChase Records, SCS-1177, 1983

Recorded 8^th March, 1983 At Easy Sound Studio, Copenhagen, Denmark

Musicians:

Bernt Rosengren - Tenor Saxophone

Horace Parlan - Piano

Doug Raney - Guitar (#B2,B3)

Jesper Lundgaard - Bass

Aage Tanggaard - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Solar {Miles Davis} (5:46)

A2. I Should Care {Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston} (8:07)

A3. Dr. Jackle {Jackie McLean} (7:36)

B1. Hip Walk {Bernt Rosengren} (6:29)

B2. Embraceable You {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (8:02)

B3. Airegin {Sonny Rollins} (5:32)

Credits:

Producer, Photography - Nils Winther

Recording Engineer - Niels Erik Lund

Cover Design - Per Grunnet

Eric Dolphy - Here And There (1961) + BONUS

Sort of a "house cleaning" album, one in which Prestige collected together a number of unissued Dolphy tracks after his death - but still a strong one, and in a way, the record features music that's even a bit more far-reaching than some of the studio albums on Prestige. Dolphy plays a solo bass clarinet version of "God Bless The Child"; he plays with Booker Little and Mal Waldron on "Status Seeking"; he's on flute in a quartet with Jaki Byard on "April Fool"; and he plays with a pickup Danish rhythm section on an alternate take of "Don't Blame Me". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PR 7382, 1966

Recorded 16^th July, 1961 (#A1,A2) At The Five Spot Café, New York City;

1^st April, 1960 (#B1) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs and

6^th September, 1961 (#B2) in Berlingske Has, Copenhagen, Denmark

Musicians:

Eric Dolphy - Alto Sax (#A1), Bass Clarinet (#A2), Flute (#B1,B2)

Booker Little - Trumpet (#A1)

Mal Waldron - Piano (#A1)

Jaki Byard - Piano (#B1)

Bent Axen - Piano (#B2)

Richard Davis - Bass (#A1)

George Tucker - Bass (#B1)

Erik Moseholm - Bass (#B2)

Eddie Blackwell - Drums (#A1)

Ed Blackwell - Drums (#A1)

Roy Haynes - Drums (#B1)

Jorn Elniff - Drums (#B2)

Tracks:

A1. Status Seeking {Mal Waldron} (13:13)

A2. God Bless The Child {Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday} (5:18)

B1. April Fool {Eric Dolphy} (4:05)

B2. Don't Blame Me [Take 2] {Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh} (12:59)

Credits:

Producer - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Mack Thomas (Dec. 1965)

Note:

Bonus Track included on CD [OJC Records - OJCCD-673-2, 1991]

G.W. [Take 1] {Eric Dolphy} (12:09)

Taken from 'Outward Bound' session

===========================

Eric Dolphy - Alto Saxophone

Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet

Jaki Byard - Piano

George Tucker - Bass

Roy Haynes - Drums

Recorded 1^st April, 1960 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Carlos Garnett - Black Love (1974) [re-rip>re-post]

A 70s soul jazz classic - one of those albums we go back to again and again over the years for inspiration! The album was one of the first from young reed player Carlos Garnett - and it's virtually a super-session, with a lineup that includes heavyweights like Buster Williams, Norman Connors, Charles Sullivan, Mauricio Smith, Reggie Lucas, Billy Hart, Mtume, and Dee Dee Bridgewater - all coming together in a righteous blend of soul, funk, and jazz! The vibe here is incredible - far deeper than even on any of Garnett's other albums of the time - at a level that sounds as beautiful on the mellow cuts as it does on the soaring, spiritual soul jazz anthems that have made the record a classic for years. Includes the perennial favorites "Mother of the Future" and "Taurus Woman", two cuts which transformed the global jazz dance scene years back - plus the tracks "Ebonesque", "Black Love", and "Banks Of The Nile". © Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Muse Records, MR 5040, 1974

Recorded 18^th and 21^st January, 1974 at C.I. Recording Studio, New York City

Musicians:

Carlos Garnett - Tenor, Alto & Soprano Saxophones, Vocals (#A1,A2)

Charles Sullivan - Trumpet

Mauricio Smith - Flute

Allan "Onaje" Gumbs - Piano

Reggie Lucas - Electric Guitar (#A1,B1,B2)

Alex Blake - Bass (#A1,B1,B2)

Buster Williams - Bass (#A2,A3)

Jabali-Billy Hart - Drums

Norman Connors - Drums (#A1,A3,B1,B2)

Guilherme Franco - Percussion (#A1,A3,B1,B2)

James Mtume - Congas (#A1,A3,B1,B2)

Carlos Chambers - Yodeling (#B1)

Ayodele Jenkins - Vocals (#A1), Backing Vocals (#A2, B1)

Dee Dee Bridgewater - Vocals (#A3), Backing Vocals (#A1,A2,B1)

Tracks:

A1. Black Love (5:24)

A2. Ebonesque (8:05)

A3. Banks Of The Nile (4:11)

B1. Mother Of The Future (7:39)

B2. Taurus Woman (12:12)

All Compositions by Carlos Garnett

Credits:

Producer - Carlos Garnett, Joe Fields

Recording Engineer - Elvin Campbell

Mixing Engineer - Carlos Garnett, Elvin Campbell

Arranger - Carlos Garnett

Photography [Cover] - Clarence Eastmond

Album Design, Photography [Liner] - Ron Warwell

Julian Priester - Spiritsville (1960)

Spiritsville is the second album led by American jazz trombonist Julian Priester which was recorded in 1960 for Riverside's subsidiary Jazzland label.

Smokin' Hard Bop

This hard bop set from 1960 didn't do too much for me at first. Largely, I think, because I have been listening to a lot of this stuff lately. Then something happened. I listened to this record with the headphones on and I'll be damned if I didn't experience it in a whole new way. Recorded in New York City in July 1960, Spiritsville features a cast of characters that I have not heard a lot from (except for the noteworthy piano player...). Priester was a trombone player. In fact, he's on Coltrane's Impulse debut, Africe Brass. In the manner of Curtis Fuller he does some great work on this record as a lead. Between those two I've come to enjoy that instrument far more than I ever have. Of the records McCoy Tyner played on leading up to this one, none foreshadowed exactly where his tone and style were going as much as this one. Dig his solo work on 'Blue Stride' and 'Excursion'. You'll hear it. ~ by Lawrence Peryeron, Amazon.com.

Jazzland Records, JLP 25, 1960

Recorded 12^th July, 1960 in New York City

Musicians:

Julian Priester - Trombone

Walter Benton - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,A2,A4-B3)

Charles Davis - Baritone Saxophone (#A1,A2,A4-B3)

McCoy Tyner - Piano

Sam Jones - Bass

Art Taylor - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Chi-Chi {Charlie Parker} (4:49)

A2. Blue Stride {Julian Priester} (5:58)

A3. It Might As Well Be Spring {Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II} (5:54)

A4. Excursion {Walter Benton} (5:48)

B1. Spiritsville {Julian Priester} (7:26)

B2. My Romance {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (5:57)

B3. Donna's Waltz {Julian Priester} (5:37)

Total Time: 41:29

Joe Bonner - The Lifesaver (1975) [vinyl>flac]

On this LP Joe Bonner is fully engaged in creating some marvellous and lyrical excursions into a variety of self-penned tunes. Apart from his evocative piano work he intelligently turns his hand to an assortment of instruments including harmonica and flute creating an intriguing percussive complement to his acoustic piano sounds. A highlight is to hear an original take on his emotive "Little Chocolate Boy". In all, it is a bold solo album that manages to entertain from the start to the finish.

Muse Records, MR 5065, 1975

Recorded November, 1974 At Blue Rock Studio, New York City

Personnel:

Joe Bonner - Piano, Miscellaneous Instruments, Percussion

Tracks:

A1. Bonner's Bounce (5:29)

A2. Tatoo (7:42)

A3. Little Chocolate Boy (5:36)

B1. The Lifesaver (4:26)

B2. Native Son (5:40)

B3. The Observer (7:43)

All Compositions by Joe Bonner

Credits:

Executive Producer - Joe Fields

Album Design - Ron Warwell

Liner Notes - Neil Tesse