After the period of the Young
Thundering Herd (documented by Philips and Columbia) and prior to his projects
for Fantasy, Woody Herman recorded three generally commercial albums for Cadet.
Herman always believed in having his band stay updated and modern, and he
supported his younger musicians in their quest to perform new and current
music. His output for Cadet, however, was quite streaky, ranging from
worthwhile new originals to covers of pop and rock tunes that sometimes sounded
a bit awkward. This single CD from 1998 has six of the ten selections
originally on Light My Fire, four of the ten tunes from Heavy
Exposure, and three of the six numbers (plus a previously unreleased "The
Indigenous Artifact") from 1970's Woody. Completists will want
to search for the three earlier LPs but should be warned that they are quite
erratic and often dated. Even in this best-of collection, there are some
throwaways (such as "My Cherie Amour" and "Aquarius"),
but the better selections ("Keep On Keepin' On" which has some
heated Sal Nistico tenor; "Impressions of Strayhorn," and Alan
Broadbent's massive everything-but-the-kitchen-sink reworking of "Blues
In The Night") make the set overall better than expected. ~ by Scott
Yanow, AMG.
Chess\GRP Records, GRD-818, 1998
Recorded October, 1968 - 30th
October, 1970 in Chicago, Illinois
Musicians:
Woody Herman - Clarinet,
Alto, Soprano & Tenor Saxes
Gary Grant, Harry Hall, Sal
Marquez, Rich Murphy, Nat Pavone - Trumpet
Tom Harrell, Tony Klatka -
Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Tom "Bones" Malone,
Ira Nedus, Vincent Prudente, Henry Southall - Trombone
Steve Lederer, Frank Vicari,
Frank Tiberi, Sal Nistico - Tenor Saxophone
Alan Gauvin, Jim Thomas -
Baritone Saxophone
Donny Hathaway - Organ
John Hicks - Piano
Mick Goodrick, Phil Upchurch
- Guitar
A'nt Idy Harper, Arthur
Harper, Gene Perla - Bass
Ed Soph - Drums
Morris Jennings - Drums,
Percussion
Marshall Thompson -
Percussion
Tracks:
01. Light My Fire {Jim
Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Bob Krieger, John Densmore} (3:37)
02. Keep On Keepin' On
{Richard Evans} (4:19)
03. Impressions Of Strayhorn
{Richard Evans} (3:27)
04. Pontieo {Edú Lobo,
Capinan} (3:46)
05. I Say A Little Prayer
{Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (3:35)
06. Hush { William
"Mickey" Stevenson} (4:18)
07. My Cherie Amour {Stevie
Wonder, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy} (2:48)
08. Catch That Bird {Loonis
McGlohon} (2:54)
09. I Can't Get Next To You
{Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield} (2:57)
10. Aquarius {James Rado,
Gerome Ragni, Gait MacDermot} (4:31)
11. Blues In The Night
{Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen} (13:43)
12. A Time For Love {Paul
Francis Webster, Johnny Mandel} (6:49)
13. Smiling Phases {Steve
Winwood, James Capaldi, Chris Wood} (5:27)
14. The Indigenous Artifact
{Alan Broadbent} (6:23)
Total Time: 68:40
Credits:
Producer [Original Albums] -
Richard Evans
Reissue Producer - Orrin
Keepnews
Digital Transfer, Audio
Enhancement, Remastering - Erick Labson
A&R [Direction] - Steve
Backer
Art Direction, Design -
Hollis King, Kerosene Halo
Photography - Chuck Stewart
Liner Notes [Annotation] -
Jack Tracy
Notes:
#1-6 originally on Woody
Herman - Light My Fire.
#7-10 originally on Woody
Herman - Heavy Exposure.
#11-13 originally on Woody
Herman - Woody.
#14 previously unissued.
