Sonny Stitt - Featuring Howard McGhee (1967,61)

A concise compilation of works by two master jazz artists: Sonny Stitt and Howard McGhee. The tracks chosen are taken from two excellent 'Black Lion' releases arising out of two separate sessions; the first one held in Zürich from 1967 and the second held in New York City in 1961. Howard McGhee is featured on all tracks and six are his own compositions. The great altoist Sonny Stitt is joined by trumpet great Howard McGhee on the first half of the album along with pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Kenny Clarke. For the second half of the album Howard McGhee takes over with his quintet comprising of tenorist Georg Coleman, pianist Junior Mance, bassist George Tucker and drummer Jimmy Cobb. All tunes are strong derivatives of bop and all players are at the top of their game. Many enthusiasts if they haven't done so beforehand will search out the original albums: Night Work & Shades Of Blue, Well Recommended! 

Jazz Life, 2473242, 1988
Recorded 18th October, 1967 (#1,2,4-6) at Turicop Studios, Zürich, Switzerland;
8th December, 1961 (#3,7-10) at Stea-Phillips Studios, New York City 

Musicians:
Sonny Stitt - Alto Saxophone (#1,2,4-6)
Howard McGhee - Trumpet (#1-10)
George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone (#3,7-10)
Walter Bishop, Jr. - Piano (#1,2,4-6)
Tommy Potter - Double Bass (#1,2,4-6)
Kenny Clarke - Drums (#1,2,4-6)
Junior Mance - Piano (#3,7-10)
George Tucker - Double Bass (#3,7-10)
Jimmy Cobb - Drums (#3,7-10) 

Tracks:
01. Night Work {Howard McGhee} (7:26)
02. Matter Horns {Eiger, Jungfrau} (10:43)
03. Shades Of Blue {Howard McGhee} (5:05)
04. Don't Blame Me {Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh} (4:06)
05. Lover Man [Oh Where Can You Be] {Davis, Sherman, Ramirez} (5:15)
06. Hello {Howard McGhee} (6:50)
07. The Sharp Edge {Howard McGhee} (5:56)
08. Cool {Howard McGhee} (2:55)
09. The Day After {Tom McIntosh} (2:06)
10. Topside {Howard McGhee} (4:21) 

Total Time: 54:49 

Producer - Alan Bates
#1,2,4-6
Sonny Stitt - Night Work [Black Lion Records - BLP-307]
#3,7-10
Howard McGhee - Shades Of Blue  [Black Lion Records - BL-305] 

Matter Horns

Willis Jackson Quintet - Please Mr. Jackson (1959) [vinyl]

Willis "Gator" Jackson originally made a strong impression as a honking R&B player, first with the Cootie Williams Orchestra, then with his own popular bands. In 1959, starting with this Prestige set, Jackson made his mark on soul-jazz. Teamed with the up-and-coming organist Jack McDuff, guitarist Bill Jennings, bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Alvin Johnson, Gator is heard modifying his style a little (gone are most of the screams) in favor of swinging. He performs four group originals, "Come Back to Sorrento," and "Memories of You" with soulful feeling. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Prestige Records, PR 7162, 1959

Prestige/OJC Records, OJC-321, 1988

Recorded 25th May, 1959 at Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey

Personnel:

Willis "Gator" Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Brother Jack McDuff - Organ

"Wild" Bill Jennings - Guitar

Tommy Potter - Bass

Alvin Johnson - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Cool Grits {Bill Jennings, Jack McDuff, Willis Jackson} (8:33)

A2. Come Back To Sorrento {Ernesto De Curtis} (4:30)

A3. Dinky's Mood {Jack McDuff, Willis Jackson} (3:57)

B1. Please Mr. Jackson {Bill Jennings, Jack McDuff, Willis Jackson} (5:45)

B2. 633 Knocks {Bill Doggett, Bill Jennings} (5:20)

B3. Memories Of You {Andy Razaf, Eubie Blake} (6:06)

Total Time: 35:11

Credits:
Supervisor, Cover Photo - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Jack Walker

With a deliberate note of the coolest of funk, MR. WILLIS JACKSON seems determined at the outset of this album to dispense with the gyrating, honking, disrobing, screaming caricature of an earlier - far less mature - Willis. It is, to be sure, an understandable caricature, for Willis Jackson in the past, has been one of the gyratingest, honkingest, screamingest, disrobingest of saxophonists. Indeed, Willis Jackson came along in an era when you had to "cut" Illinois Jacquet to "make it" and Willis Jackson was a determined young man.

The MR. JACKSON here in this album "PLEASE ...” is a far more mature musician and he's out to prove it. The theatrics of his youth - a perhaps necessary window - dressing for his then budding talent - are gone ... The honking and screaming - exciting to a generation gone - have given way to solid sounds. And Willis Jackson, the "Gator" of yesterday emerges as a worthy musician in this era of modern sounds. ~ excerpts by Jack Walker.

Willis Jackson - Cool "Gator" (1959-1960) [vinyl]

Raw early stuff by Willis Jackson – and an album that has hard wailin' soul jazz solos by Brother Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar! Those two, plus Gator, make up the core of the combo that features additional backing by bass and drums, but you won't need to worry about the additional players, because the triple threat of tenor/organ/guitar will hold all your attention. Tracks are long, and as usual, the best ones are the originals, including "Blue Strollin", "A Smooth One", and "Keep On A Blowin". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

A tenor sax ought to sound like a tenor, Willis Jackson has said, and he is here to prove it. In this album he has put together for the first time in half a young lifetime on the horn a collection of tunes that he wanted to blow. The musicians who work with him here have been caught up in the mood of 'Gator's musical dream and they turn in performances of rare musicianship. ~ Extract from Liner Notes by Dale Wright.

Prestige Records, PRLP 7172, 1960

Recorded 25th May (#A2,B2,B3) & 9th November (#A3,B1) 1959;

26th February (#A1) 1960 At Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey

Personnel:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Jack McDuff - Organ

Bill Jennings - Guitar

Tommy Potter - Bass (#A2,B2,B3)

Wendell Marshall - Bass (#A3,B1)

Milt Hinton - Bass (#A1)

Alvin Johnson - Drums

Buck Clarke - Conga Drum (#A1)

Tracks:

A1. Keep On A Blowin' {Jack McDuff, Willis "Gator" Jackson} (10:23)

A2. How Deep Is The Ocean {Irving Berlin} (4:04)

A3. On The Sunny Side Of The Street {Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh} (3:29)

B1. Blue Strollin' {Willis "Gator" Jackson} (7:44)

B2. The Man I Love {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (7:12)

B3. A Smooth One {Benny Goodman} (5:23)

Credits:

Producer - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy Van Gelder
Design - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Dale Wright

Note:

Also issued on Prestige [PR 7830] entitled Keep On A Blowin'

Willis Jackson - Blue Gator (1959,60) [vinyl]

Blue Gator is the third album led by saxophonist Willis Jackson featuring organist Jack McDuff and guitarist Bill Jennings which was recorded in 1959 and 1960 and released on the Prestige label. ~ Wikipedia.

Seminal early work from Willis Jackson. Blue Gator is a massive early Prestige set from tenorist Willis - and just the kind of record that set him firmly in the soul jazz camp for the 60s! By the time of the set, Jackson had already won plenty of fame for his R&B-tinged work - but here, he stretches out a bit more, and really gets creative on his solos - working with a very hip group that includes Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar - both players making a similar shift in their music at the time. The tracks are lively, recorded with a bold, loud tone, and have lots of those great open-mouthed tones from Jackson - quite possibly a good reason for his "Gator" nickname! Tracks include "Blue Gator", "East Breeze", "The Gator Jumps", and "Try A Little Tenderness". ~ Extract from Dusty Groove Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 7850, 1972 [Reissue]

Recorded 25^th May (#A3,B3), 1959 at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey;

9^th November (#B2), 1959; 25^th February (#B1) & 16^th August (#A1,A2), 1960

at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Jack McDuff - Organ

Bill Jennings - Guitar

Wendell Marshall - Bass (#A1,A2,B2)

Tommy Potter - Bass (#A3,B3)

Milt Hinton - Bass (#B1)

Bill Elliot - Drums (#A1,A2)

Alvin Johnson - Drums (#A3-B3)

Buck Clarke - Congas (#B1)

Tracks:

A1. Blue Gator {Willis Jackson} (9:13)

A2. Try A Little Tenderness {Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Harry Woods} (5:59)

A3. The Gator Jumps {Willis Jackson} (3:40)

B1. This Nearly Was Mine {Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers} (4:32)

B2. East Breeze {Esmond Edwards} (10:02)

B3. She's Funny That Way {Neil Moret, Richard Whiting} (5:12)

Credits:

Supervisor - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Tom Curry (January 1971)