Willis Jackson - Really Groovin' (1961) [vinyl]

A killer batch of tracks from Willis Jackson - recorded in a slightly different format than some of his other work for Prestige! The album features Gatortail in two different piano-based quartets - one with the obscure Jimmy Neely on the keys, the other with the great Richard Wyands riffing things up. Juan Amalbert of the Latin Jazz Quintet plays conga on a number of tracks - giving them that rolling groove that you'd often hear with Gene Ammons or Lou Donaldson during the time, and Jackson more than does his job of matching those two in adapting to the slight Latin tinge of the format. Titles include "Sweet Peter Charleston", "A Twist of The Blues", "Oatmeal", and "He Said She Said I Said". ~ Dusty Groove America.

Prestige Records, PRLP 7196, 1961

Recorded 10^th January (#A1-B3) and 11^th April (#B4), 1961

At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Jimmy Neeley - Piano (#A1-B3)

Richard Wyands - Piano (#B4)

Wendell Marshall - Bass (#A1-B3)

Peck Morrison - Bass (#B4)

Gus Johnson - Drums (#A1-B3)

Mickey Roker - Drums (#B4)

Juan Amalbert - Conga (#A1-B3)

Tracks:

A1. Careless Love {W. C. Handy, Spencer Williams} (4:28)

A2. Oatmeal {Johnny Griffin} (4:28)

A3. I Remember Clifford {Benny Golson} (3:53)

A4. A Twist Of Blues {Willis Jackson} (5:47)

B1. Sweet Peter Charleston {Johnny Griffin} (6:56)

B2. Again {Lionel Newman, Dorcas Cochran} (4:11)

B3. He Said, She Said, I Said {Willis Jackson} (3:58)

B4. Girl Of My Dreams {Sunny Clapp} (6:48)

Credits:

Supervision - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Joe Goldberg