Ted Curson - Plenty Of Horn (1961)

Ted Curson, born in 1935 in Philadelphia, participated in some great Mingus albums such as Mingus At Antibes or Mysterious Blues; he is also featured on Archie Shepp's Fire Music and other albums. Ted Curson recorded this album in April 1961 in New York with some of his usual accomplices like tenor sax Bill Barron (Kenny's brother) or Roy Haynes on drums (on 4 tracks), Eric Dolphy on 2 tracks. Kenny Drew is on piano, Jimmy Garrison on double bass. Danny Richmond replaces Roy on 3 tracks and Pete La Roca on two. This is, I believe, his first album as a leader. After a very orientalist version of "Caravan" a little waltz from Ted “Nosruc Waltz”, then a beautiful ballad with guest Éric Dolphy on flute. Five original compositions by Ted follow, where "Flatted Fifth" stands out and the beautiful theme of "Bali-H'ai" (composed by Hammerstein and Rodgers) where Dolphy shines. A good disc to discover this musician. ~ Philippe A, AMG. [Translated from French] 

Old Town, OT LP 2003, 1961
Fresh Sounds Records, FSR 1622, 2004
Recorded April, 1961 in New York City 

Musicians:
Ted Curson - Trumpet
Bill Barron - Tenor Saxophone (#1,2,4-6,8,9)
Eric Dolphy - Flute (#3,7)
Kenny Drew - Piano
Jimmy Garrison - Bass
Roy Haynes - Drums (#1,3,6,7)
Dannie Richmond - Drums (#2,4,9)
Pete La Roca - Drums (#5,8) 

Tracks:
1. Caravan {Irving Mills, Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol} (2:53)
2. Nosruc {Ted Curson} (6:16)
3. The Things We Did Last Summer {Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne} (4:23)
4. Dem's Blues {Ted Curson} (3:41)
5. Ahma [See Ya] (Ted Curson} (4:21)
6. Flatted Fifth {Ted Curson} (3:34)
7. Bali-H'ai {Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers, Jerome Kern} (3:55)
8. Antibes {Ted Curson} (5:04)
9. Mr. Teddy {Teddy Curson} (5:10) 

Total Time: 39:21 

Credits:
Producer - Hy Weiss
Produce [Reissue] - Jordi Pujol
Post Production - Duncan Cowell
Mastering - Krieg Wunderlich
Package Design - Chris Popham
Liner Notes - John Crosby, Nat Hentoff 

Flatted Fifth

Mal Waldron - The Quest (1961) [vinyl]

The Quest seems not only an appropriate name for this album but for Waldron's entire musical output, a pianist and composer who always seems to be seeking for something just out of reach. All the compositions here are Waldron's and show the variety of his approach. What makes this particular recording so interesting is the inclusion of Dolphy and Ervin, widely different in style but both rhythmically ingenious. I sometimes find Dolphy too abandoned but here he plays within the constraints of Waldron's compositions and the results are often superb. Ervin is an under-rated tenorist (all of the albums under his own name are well worth checking out, there's a good selection here at the Crypt) who plays with an economy that contrasts well with Dolphy.
A challenging record but occasionally very beautiful, I love Dolphy's clarinet on 'Warm Canto', and the whole LP is consistently rewarding.

01 - Status Seeking
02 - Duquility
03 - Thirteen
04 - We Diddit
05 - Warm Canto
06 - Warp And Woof
07 - Fire Waltz

Eric Dolphy (as, bcl) Booker Ervin (ts) Mal Waldron (p) Ron Carter (cello) Joe Benjamin (b) Charlie Persip (d)
Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, June 27, 1961

Eric Dolphy - Giants Of Jazz (1958-61)

This CD contains a selection of some of Eric Dolphy’s prime cuts. It spans the years from 1958 when he spent time with Chico Hamilton through to the classic 1961 tracks taken from the infamous Five Spot date. In addition, the listener will be treated to further tunes taken from his association with Booker Little, Charles Mingus etc., to name a few of the notorieties he interfaced with during his condensed career, like Booker cut short by an untimely death. Any jazz lover should know his work, but this compilation will certainly serve to enhance his following. So, sit back and marvel at Eric’s musicianship, and no doubt many newcomers to jazz will be won over, Enjoy!

Giants Of Jazz, CD 53164, 1995

Recorded 30^th December, 1958 - 16^th July, 1961

#1 from Eric Dolphy At The Five Spot, Volume 1 (1961)

#2,3 Eric Dolphy - Here And There (1960)

#4-6 Booker Little - Out Front (1961)

#7 Charles Mingus - Mingus (1960)

# 8-10 - Chico Hamilton - Gongs East! (1958)

Personnel:

Eric Dolphy - Alto Sax (#2-10) Flute (#2,4-6,8-10), Bass Clarinet (#1,2,8-10)

Booker Little - Trumpet (#1,4-6)

Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet (#3)

Ted Curson - Trumpet (#7)

Julian Priester - Trombone (#4)

Mal Waldron - Piano (#1)

Jaki Byard - Piano (#2,3)

Don Friedman - Piano (#4-6)

Dennis Budimir - Guitar (#8-9)

Richard Davis - Bass (#1)

George Tucker - Bass (#2,3)

Art Davis - Bass (#4)

Ron Carter - Bass (#5,6)

Charles Mingus - Bass (#7)

Wyatt Ruther - Bass (#8-10)

Nate Gershman - Cello (#8-10)

Ed Blackwell - Drums (#1)

Roy Haynes - Drums (#2,3)

Max Roach - Drums, Percussion (#4-6)

Dannie Richmond - Drums (#7)

Chico Hamilton - Drums (#8-10)

Tracks:

01. Bee Vamp {Booker Little} (12:19)

02. April Fool {Eric Dolphy} (4:04)

03. G.W. {Eric Dolphy} (7:57)

04. Quiet, Please {Booker Little} (8:02)

05. Moods In Free Time {Booker Little} (5:37)

06. Hazy Hues {Booker Little} (5:29)

07. Stormy Weather {Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler} (13:15)

08. Where I Live {Gerald Wilson} (2:58)

09. Gongs East {Chico Hamilton} (5:03)

10. Beyond The Blue Horizon {Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting} (3:04)

Total Time: 67:48

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

Ornette Coleman - Twins (1959-1961) [vinyl>flac]

Ornette Coleman's Twins has been looked at as an afterthought in many respects. A collection of sessions from 1959, 1960, and 1961 with different bands, they are allegedly takes from vinyl LP sessions commercially limited at that time to 40 minutes on vinyl, and not initially released until many years later. Connoisseurs consider this one of his better recordings in that it offers an overview of what Coleman was thinking in those pivotal years of the free bop movement rather than the concentrated efforts of The Art of the Improvisers, Change of the Century, The Shape of Jazz to Come, This Is Our Music, and of course the pivotal Free Jazz. There are three most definitive selections that define Coleman's sound and concept. "Monk & the Nun" is angular like Thelonious Monk, soulful as spiritualism, and golden with the rhythm team of bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins driving the sweet and sour alto sax of Coleman and piquant trumpeting of Don Cherry. "Check Up" is a wild roller coaster ride, mixing meters, tempos, and dynamics in a blender in an unforgettable display of sheer virtuosity, and featuring bassist Scott LaFaro. "Joy of a Toy" displays the playful Ornette Coleman in interval leaps, complicated bungee jumps, in many ways whimsical but not undecipherable. It is one of the most intriguing of all of Coleman's compositions. Less essential, "First Take" showcases his double quartet in a churning composition left off the original release This Is Our Music, loaded with interplay as a showcase for a precocious young trumpeter named Freddie Hubbard, the ribald bass clarinet of Eric Dolphy, and the first appearance with Coleman's groups for New Orleans drummer Ed Blackwell. "Little Symphony" has a great written line with room for solos in a joyful hard bop center with the quartet of Coleman, Cherry, Haden, and Blackwell. All in all an excellent outing for Coleman from a hodgepodge of recordings that gives a broader view of his vision and the music that would come later in the '60s. ~ by Michael G. Nastos, AMG.

Atlantic Records, SD 1588, 1971

"First Take" 21^st December, 1960 at A&R Studios, New York City

"Little Symphony" 19^th July, 1960, at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City

"Monk And The Nun" 22^nd May, 1959, at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

"Check Up" 31^st January, 1961, at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City

"Joy Of A Toy" 26^th July, 1960, at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City

Personnel:

Ornette Coleman - Alto Saxophone (#A1-B3)

Don Cherry - Pocket Trumpet (#A1,B2), Cornet (#B1), Trumpet (#A2,B3)

Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet (#A1)

Eric Dolphy - Bass Clarinet (#A1)

Scott LaFaro - Bass (#A1,B2)

Charlie Haden - Bass (#A1-B1,B3)

Ed Blackwell - Drums (#A1,A2,B2,B3)

Billy Higgins - Drums (#A1,B1)

Track Listing:

A1. First Take (16:56)

A2. Little Symphony (5:13)

B1. Monk And The Nun (5:52)

B2. Check Up (10:07)

B3. Joy Of A Toy (4:55)

Credits:

Producer - Nesuhi Ertegun

Recording Engineer - Tom Dowd (#A1,A2,B2,B3), Phil Iehle (#A2), Bones Howe (#B1)

Mastering Engineer - George Piros

Mixing [Re-Mix Engineer] - Geoffrey Haslam

Cover Design - Haig Adishian

Cover Photo - Omar Kharem

Liner Notes - Martin Williams