Christmas with Houston Person & Etta Jones (1997) [re-rip]

Tired of those bland Christmas jazz records that fail to capture the emotion and fervor of the season? Looking for an album that puts heart and soul into this momentous holiday? Then look no further than this album by Etta Jones and Houston Person (neither of whom are on all cuts) and other musicians who also not only want to play these songs for their holiday value, but for their musical value as well. With Jones' blues- and R&B-inflected vocal delivery, coupled with the sensuous and passionate sax of Person, this CD turns out to be one of the more attractive jazz Christmas albums extant. Instead of a sugar-coated version of the king of all Christmas pop tunes, "White Christmas," Jones and the trio of Horace Ott, Wilbur Bascomb, and Cecil Brooks III take this tune down a gently swinging lane. Peter Martin Weiss' bass and Stan Hope's piano are featured on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and demonstrate that even a religious Christmas carol offers improvisational opportunities without detracting from the carol's solemn message. With Randy Johnson's rangy guitar kicking it off, Jones knocks the stuffings out of "Merry Christmas Baby" with her blues-soaked delivery, as the front line of Bill Easley and Johnny Coles make this a true jazz offering whose theme just happens to be a Yuletide one. But the album's pièce de résistance is Jones' rendition, complete with catch in the voice, of one of the saddest, most forlorn of all Christmas tunes, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" from World War II. This is one of those albums where it's best to listen with heavily spiked egg nog or another favorite alcoholic bracer. ~ Dave Nathan, AMG.

32 Jazz, 32034, 1997
Jazz Heritage, 515591L, 1999

Recorded June, 1990 - August, 1994 at Englewood Cliffs, NJ and New York, NY

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Etta Jones - Vocals

Bill Easley - Flute, Tenor Saxophone

Johnny Coles - Flugelhorn

George Devens - Vibraphone

Horace Ott - Keyboards

Stan Hope - Piano

Benny Green - Piano

Mike Renzi - Piano

Randy Johnston - Guitar

Jay Leonhart - Bass

Cecil Brooks, III - Drums

Grady Tate - Drums

Chip White - Drums

Sammy Figueroa - Percussion

Della Griffin - Vocals

Tracks:

1. Medley: I'll Be Home For Christmas/You're All I Want for Christmas (2:42)

2. Blue Christmas (6:48)

3. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:09)

4. Merry Christmas, Baby (9:15)

5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (4:23)

6. Merry Christmas, Baby (5:29)

7. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? (8:06)

8. Christmas Song (5:14)

9. [I'm Dreaming Of A] White Christmas (3:36)

Credits:

Producer - Houston Person, Joel Dorn

Arranger - Houston Person

Engineer - Rudy van Gelder, Tony Viamontes

Assistant Engineer - Roger Scheepers

Mastering - Gene Paul

Art Direction - Nancy Dwyer, Page Simon

Liner Notes - Joel Dorn

Sonny Phillips - Sure 'Nuff (1969) [re-rip]

This LP was the first by organist Sonny Phillips on Prestige Records. Phillips is joined by Virgil Jones on trumpet, Houston Person on tenor sax, Joe "Boogaloo" Jones on guitar, Bob Bushnell on bass and Pretty Purdie on drums; quite a polished team. He presents four tunes of his own and the great Sonny Rollins number Oleo. It is a classic Soul Jazz album for its time. Production is by Bob Porter and recording by the masterful Rudy van Gelder.

The debut set as leader by organist Sonny Phillips is refreshingly free of the usual clichéd funky licks copped off Jimmy Smith and Brother Jack McDuff albums. Very early in his career, the Alabama-born, Chicago-based Phillips trained on piano under Ahmad Jamal, and Jamal's characteristic style remains imprinted on Phillips' loose, easy-flowing solos. (There's a little Ramsey Lewis in there as well, especially on the swinging soul-jazz title track.) This lighter touch and less blues-dependent style gives Sure 'Nuff an intriguing and unusual sound that keeps it from sounding like just another soul-jazz album. At times, Phillips sounds like he's been listening to jazz-rock pioneers like the Al Kooper-led Blood, Sweat & Tears or even the very early (pre-wimpy) Chicago, because tracks like "Be Yourself" and "The Other Blues" subtly integrate rock backbeats and rhythm guitar into jazz forms. Sure 'Nuff isn't an undiscovered masterpiece or anything, but it's considerably more interesting than the average soul-jazz album from the late '60s. ~ by Stewart Mason, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 7737, 1970

Recorded 20th October, 1969 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Track Listing:

A1. Sure 'Nuff, Sure 'Nuff {Sonny Phillips} (6:47)

A2. Be Yourself {Sonny Phillips} (4:32)

A3. Oleo {Sonny Rollins} (7:46)

B1. Mobile To Chicago {Sonny Phillips} (7:29)

B2. The Other Blues {Sonny Phillips} (9:35)

Personnel:

Sonny Phillips - Organ

Virgil Jones - Trumpet (#A1,A2,B1)

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Joe "Boogaloo" Jones - Guitar

Bob Bushnell - Electric Bass

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums

Credits:

Supervisor - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Bob Porter

Shirley Scott - Great Scott! (1958) [vinyl>flac]

Scott's first album as a bandleader put her at the head of a trio, backed by the rhythm section of George Duvivier on bass and Arthur Edgehill on drums. While she'd already established herself as an organist of note in Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis' band, Great Scott! was her first out-front contribution to popularizing the organ in a jazz format that also drew on parts of blues and soul music. She displays admirable command of the instrument's swoops and funky glows here, mixing up hard-charging up-tempo numbers, ballads, Latin-influenced tunes ("Brazil" and "Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You"), and bluesy walking beats (as on her cover of Cole Porter's "All of You"). It's too bad that just one song is a Scott original, though, as that track, "The Scott," really bops along, with some of her most exuberant slides and forceful chording. ~ extract by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRLP 7143, 1959

Recorded 23^rd May, 1958 at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey

Musicians:

Shirley Scott - Organ [Hammond]

George Duvivier - Bass

Arthur Edgehill - Drums

Tracks:

A1. The Scott {Shirley Scott} (3:10)

A2. All Of You {Cole Porter} (3:23)

A3. Four {Miles Davis} (3:54)

A4. Goodbye {Gordon Jenkins} (5:01)

B1. Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You {Marvin Fisher, Jack Segal} (4:41)

B2. Trees {Joyce Kilmer, Oscar Rasbach} (7:01)

B3. Cherokee {Ray Noble} (5:24)

B4. Brazil {Ary Barroso} (2:28)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Weinstock

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Ira Gitler

Shirley Scott - Shirley's Sounds (1958,60) [re-rip]

There's a good reason why Scott's second album as a bandleader sounds very much like her first, Great Scott!, for both albums were cut at the same May 23, 1958, session. On Shirley's Sounds, Scott's again backed by the rhythm section of George Duvivier on bass (though George Tucker takes over the instrument for one number, "Bye Bye Blackbird") and Arthur Edgehill on drums. Like its predecessor, it's superior early organ jazz, full-sounding but streamlined owing to the trio format. Devoted entirely to outside compositions, the tracks capture both her virtuosic skill on the organ and her taste, squeezing the bluesiest inflections out of a standard like "Summertime." "(Back Home Again In) Indiana" is the cut that cooks the hardest, and blues colors are a big part of her interpretations of "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" and "I Can't See for Lookin'." ~ by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRLP 7195, 1961
Recorded 23rd May (#A1-A3,B1-B3); 23rd October (#B4), 1958 and
8th April (#A4), 1960 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:
Shirley Scott - Organ [Electric]
George Duvivier - Bass
George Tucker - Bass (#A4)
Arthur Edgehill - Drums

Track Listing:
A1. It Could Happen To You {Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen} (4:34)
A2. Summertime {George Gershwin, Dubose Heyward} (3:59)
A3. There Will Never Be Another You {Mack Gordon, Harry Warren} (3:22)
A4. Bye Bye Blackbird {Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson} (6:39)
B1. S'Posin' {Andy Razaf, Paul Denniker} (4:18)
B2. Baby Won't You Please Come Home {Charles Warfield, Clarence Williams} (4:03)
B3. [Back Home Again In] Indiana {Ballard MacDonald, James F. Hanley} (3:24)
B4. I Can't See For Lookin' {Dave Bartholomew} (4:12)

Credits:
Producer - Bob Weinstock
Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Liner Notes - Joe Goldberg

Roy Hargrove - Approaching Standards (1994)

This compilation serves as a fine entrance point into Hargrove's work. The playing is measured and a fine representation of he the jazz played by the Young Lions of the early 90's. Hargrove would evolve and his sound would change. These 10 songs are the sound of promise, later albums would arguably deliver on that promise. This is a must have if you're interested in the early sound of Hargrove's ballads. ~ by Dave Rullo, AMG.

Here Is Beauty Pure And Simple

Every track is a delight, just put it on and let it go. It very beautifully showcases the trumpet as a jazz instrument and reaffirms Roy Hargrove as a main interpreter of the standards. This CD is a good introduction into jazz for anyone not yet acquainted. It is also one of my favorites to put on at night for go-to-sleep music. ~ Paul Phelps, Amazon.com

RCA/Novus Records, 01241 63178 2, 1994

Jazz Heritage, 513900W, 1995

Recorded December, 1989 to February, 1993
At BMG Studios & Clinton Recording, New York

Personnel:

Roy Hargrove - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Frank Lacy - Trombone

Ran Blake - Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone

John Hicks - Piano

Stephen Scott - Piano

Christian McBride - Bass

Rodney Whitaker - Bass

Scott Colley - Bass

Al Foster - Drums

Billy Higgins - Drums

Gregory Hutchinson - Drums

Tracks:

01. Easy To Remember {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (6:17)

02. Ruby My Dear {Thelonious Monk} (6:17)

03. Whisper Not {Benny Golson} (7:31)

04. What's New? {Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart} (5:10)

05. September In The Rain {Al Dubin, Harry Warren} (7:23)

06. You Don't Know What Love Is {Gene DePaul, Don Raye} (6:20)

07. End Of A Love Affair {Thelonious Monk} (8:05)

08. Things We Did Last Summer {Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne} (5:38)

09. Everything I Have Is Yours {Burton Lane, Harold Adamson}
/Dedicated To You {Sammy Cahn, Hy Zaret} (4:48)

10. My Shining Hour {Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer} (6:09)

Credits:

Producer - Larry Clothier

Mastering - Jimmy Nichols At BMG Studios, NYC

Photography - Ruedi Hofmann

Art Direction - Jacqueline Murphy

Design - Amy Wenzler

Sonny Phillips - I Concentrate On You (1978) [re-rip]

This is the second LP by organist Sonny Phillips on Muse Records from 1977. Phillips is heard playing a range of keyboard instruments, predominately the organ but at times and in particular on the album's title track he lays down some masterful piano work. He is joined by quite a stellar array of players including Virgil Jones on trumpet, Eddie McFadden on guitar, Lawrence Killian on congas and percussion, Charlie Persip on drums, Mervin Bronson on bass and John Stubblefield on tenor saxophone. The tunes chosen for the album range from a number of jazz standards and some more contemporary compositions; included are two of Phillips' own compositions. Phillips although considered a junior amongst his fellow organists clearly displays his own manner and style of playing, which in many ways cannot be aligned to any major influence. His ability to write and play piano sets him outside the core of the modern jazz organists that maintained popularity throughout the 60's and 70's. Overall the music comes across as very melodic and all players harmonise and interact seamlessly. This is enhanced by Houston Person as producer and the resulting tracks are captured by the masterful skills of Rudy van Gelder as the engineer. Recommended.

Muse Records, MR 5157, 1978

Recorded 9^th November, 1977 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Sonny Phillips - Keyboards

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

John Stubblefield - Tenor Saxophone

Eddie McFadden - Guitar

Mervin Bronson - Bass

Charlie Persip - Drums

Lawrence Killian - Congas, Percussion

Tracks:

A1. Free Like The Wind {Sonny Phillips} (6:28)

A2. The Greatest Love Of All {Michael Masser, Linda Creed} (2:53)

A3. Falling In Love With Love {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (7:28)

B1. Hard Times {Paul Mitchell, George V. Johnson, Jr.} (7:02)

B2. Day By Day {Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn} (5:51)

B3. I Concentrate On You {Cole Porter} (5:06)

Credits:

Producer - Houston Person

Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Cover Design & Photograph - Ron Warwell

Liner Notes - Tony Outhwaite

Sonny Phillips - Black On Black (1970) [re-rip]

Sonny Phillips' third and final album for Prestige, coming just over a year after his first, shows the soul-jazz organist moving in a somewhat funkier direction than his first two efforts. The roiling title track actually has an edge of menace to it, an idea his other albums never even entertained. Of the five tracks, the most surprisingly effective is the nine-minute take on Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary"; even more so than Ike and Tina Turner, Phillips and band completely reshape the song, taking off the edge of distance from Creedence Clearwater Revival's original and the campy showbiz of the better-known cover in favor of a pure soul-jazz workout that's among the finest things Phillips ever did in his short recording career. The other highlight is "The Doll House," a showcase for Rusty Bryant's tenor sax with the album's most satisfying soloing. Sonny Phillips isn't highly rated by some soul-jazz historians, but his unique and characteristic light tone -- heavily influenced by his early teachers, Jodie Christian and Ahmad Jamal -- makes his albums far more interesting to listen to than the usual barrage of Jimmy McGriff lifts. ~ by Stewart Mason, AMG.

This 1970 album "Black On Black" is another fine soul-jazz recording. It features Phillips with tenor saxophonist Rusty Bryant, guitarist Melvin Sparks, electric bassist Jimmy Lewis and drummer Bernard Purdie. The music is blues-and groove-oriented. Bryant in particular showcases some fine solos, while Phillips' chugging organ is always appealing.

Prestige Records, PR 10007, 1970

Recorded 27^th July, 1970 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Tracks:

A1. Black On Black {Phillips, Bryant, Sparks, Lewis, Purdie} (5:34)

A2. Check It Out {Sonny Phillips} (6:20)

A3. Blues In Maude's Flat {Grant Green} (6:30)

B1. Proud Mary {John Fogerty} (8:01)

B2. The Doll House {Jimmy Lewis} (7:40)

Personnel:

Sonny Phillips - Organ

Rusty Bryant - Tenor Saxophone

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Jimmy Lewis - Bass [Fender]

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums

Credits:

Producer [Supervision] - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Design, Photo - Don Schlitten
Liner Notes - Tom Curry (December 1970)