More Goodies
Lee Morgan Search for the New Land 
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This set (the CD reissue is a duplicate of the original LP) is one of the finest Lee Morgan records. The great trumpeter contributes five challenging compositions ("Search for the New Land," "The Joker," "Mr. Kenyatta," "Melancholee," and "Morgan the Pirate") that deserve to be revived. Morgan, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, guitarist Grant Green, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Billy Higgins are all in particularly creative form on the fresh material, and they stretch the boundaries of hard bop (the modern mainstream jazz of the period). The result is a consistently stimulating set that rewards repeated listenings. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide | |||
Clifford Brown Memorial Album
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Like swing guitarist Charlie Christian, Clifford Brown was incredibly influential for someone who died so young. The Fats Navarro-minded trumpeter was only 25 when a car accident claimed his life in 1956, but his influence remained long after his death -- Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Woody Shaw, Donald Byrd, and Carmell Jones were among the many trumpet titans who were heavily influenced by Brown. In the early to mid-'50s, Brown kept getting more and more exciting; those who found him impressive in 1952 found even more reason to be impressed in 1955. | |||
Johnny Griffin Blowin Session
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A Blowin' Session is one of the greatest hard bop jam sessions ever recorded; it is filled with infectious passion and camaraderie. It's also the only time tenor saxophonists Johnny Griffin and John Coltrane would play together on record. Initially Coltrane wasn't scheduled to be on this date, but Griffin saw him on his way to Rudy Van Gelder's studio and asked him to join the remaining musicians, third tenor Hank Mobley, trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey. | |||
Hank Mobley Workout
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This is one of the best-known Hank Mobley recordings, and for good reason. Although none of his four originals ("Workout," "Uh Huh," "Smokin'," "Greasin' Easy") caught on, the fine saxophonist is in top form. He jams on the four tunes, plus "The Best Things in Life Are Free," with an all-star quintet of young modernists -- guitarist Grant Green, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones -- and shows that he was a much stronger player than his then-current boss Miles Davis seemed to think. This recommended CD reissue adds a version of "Three Coins in the Fountain" from the same date, originally released on Another Workout, to the original LP program. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide | |||
Tina Brooks True Blue
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Although a four-LP Complete Blue Note Recordings box set on Mosaic purportedly includes every recording led by the obscure but talented tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, this 1994 CD has previously unreleased alternate takes of "True Blue" and "Good Old Soul" that Mosaic overlooked. Brooks is teamed with the young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (on one of his earliest sessions), pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Taylor on a set dominated by Brooks' originals. | |||
Horace Silver Doin the Thing
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This live set (recorded at the Village Gate) finds pianist/composer Horace Silver and his most acclaimed quintet (the one with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor, and drummer Roy Brooks) stretching out on four selections, including his new song, "Filthy McNasty." There are two bonus tracks on the Rudy Van Gelder remastered version on CD -- "It Ain't S'posed to Be Like That," which is six and a half minutes long, and the full version of "Cool Eyes," which takes the originally released set out. | |||
Duke Pearson Right Touch
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Duke Pearson rises to the challenge of writing for an all-star octet (with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, trombonist Garnett Brown, altoist James Spaulding, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, bassist Gene Taylor, drummer Grady Tate, and the leader/pianist), contributing colorful frameworks and consistently challenging compositions. The set is full of diverse melodies (including a bonus track alternate take of "Los Malos Hombres" that was not on the original vinyl LP) played by a variety of distinctive soloists; many of these songs deserve to be revived. This is one of the finest recordings of Duke Pearson's career. [In 2007 Blue Note reissued The Right Touch in a remastered Rudy Van Gelder edition.] ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide | |||
Freddie Hubbard Ready for Freddie
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Recorded in 1962, Ready for Freddie is one of the finest moments on record for the young Freddie Hubbard. Just 24 at the time of the session, Hubbard shows an incredible confidence as a leader with a hotshot group of players: Wayne Shorter, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Detroit's Bernard McKinney on euphonium. With a solid hard bop framework, some of Hubbard's later funkiness enters into his playing and charts on "Crisis," and his beautiful, elongated lines are showcased on "Arietis." Along with the Hubbard tunes, Shorter contributes his beautiful "Marie Antoinette" to the session, and the gorgeous group playing on "Weaver of Dreams" was a high point for the label during that calendar year. | |||
Hank Mobley No Room for Squares
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By 1963, Mobley had undergone a transformation of tone. Replacing the scintillating airiness of his late-'50s sides was a harder, more strident, almost honking one, due in part to the influence of John Coltrane and in part to Mobley's deeper concentration on the expressing blues feeling in his trademark hard bop tunes. All eight cuts here move with similar fluidity and offer a very gritty and realist approach to the roots of hard bop. Highly recommended. | |||
Grant Green Goin West
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A Blue Note album finally reissued on CD in early 2004, Grant Green's Goin' West -- like Feelin' the Spirit -- includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Includes tunes like (can you believe?) "On Top of Old Smokey" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." Only Green could carry this off, but he is the man when it comes to standards. ~ Michael Erlewine, All Music Guide | |||
Donald Byrd New Perspective
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This unusual set (reissued on CD by Blue Note) was one of the most successful uses of a gospel choir in a jazz context. Trumpeter Donald Byrd and a septet that also includes tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and pianist Herbie Hancock are joined by an eight-voice choir directed by Coleridge Perkinson. The arrangements by Duke Pearson are masterful and one song, "Cristo Redentor," became a bit of a hit. This is a memorable effort that is innovative in its own way, a milestone in Donald Byrd's career. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide | |||
Curtis Fuller Opener
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The Opener is trombonist Curtis Fuller's first album for Blue Note and it is a thoroughly impressive affair. Working with a quintet featuring tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor, Fuller runs through a set of three standards. His backing musicians are equally impressive; in particular, Mobley's robust playing steals the show. In all, The Opener, along with his three earlier sessions for Prestige and New Jazz, establishes Fuller as one of the most distinctive and original hard bop trombonists of the late '50s. | |||
Cannonball Adderley Something Else
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aside from Cannonball Adderley, you have a lineup that includes Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey. This is a group that could take on a Barry Manilow number and turn it into a jazz masterpiece. MFSL have done the purchaser a favor, too, by including an additional track that was left off the original album. This sixth track, "Alison's Uncle," closes out Somethin' Else on a high note, changing the flow of energy in an interesting way (purists can still finish up on a quieter note, as with the original, by programming "Dancing in the Dark" as the final track). In many ways it's a surprise that this track was left off originally -- it's an excellent piece, with Adderley and Davis trading licks and solos while Jones and Blakey keep pace. Blakey also takes some terrific solos. | |||
Dexter Gordon Dexter Calling
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Dexter Gordon's second recording for the Blue Note label is a solidly swinging affair, yet constantly full of surprises. It's not unexpected that Gordon's tenor at this time -- 1961 -- is one of the most enjoyable in mainstream jazz, but his transition from the cool California scene to the hotter music environs of New York City had energized his sound and attitude. The excellent band, solid musicianship, and memorable music on every track make this one of the more essential recordings of Gordon's career, enhanced by the improved audio quality. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide | |||
Johnny Griffin Congregation
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The great tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin is heard in top form on this near-classic quartet set. Assisted by pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Kenny Dennis, Griffin is exuberant on "The Congregation" (which is reminiscent of Horace Silver's "The Preacher"), thoughtful on the ballads, and swinging throughout. It's recommended for bop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide | |||
Joe Henderson In N Out
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Joe Henderson's third Blue Note release (which is reissued here on CD along with the addition of a previously unissued version of the title cut) matches the very distinctive tenor with the veteran trumpeter Kenny Dorham and an unbeatable rhythm section: pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Elvin Jones. Henderson, who has always had the ability to make a routine bop piece sound complex and the most complicated free improvisation seem logical, and Dorham provided all of the material and the music still sounds fresh over three decades later. | |||
Herbie Hancock My Point of View
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Takin' Off was an impressive debut effort from Herbie Hancock, and his second record, My Point of View, proved that it was no fluke. Hancock took two risks with the album -- his five original compositions covered more diverse stylistic ground than his debut, and he assembled a large septet for the sessions; the band features such stellar musicians as trumpeter Donald Byrd, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, drummer Tony Williams, guitarist Grant Green, bassist Chuck Israels, and trombonist Grachan Moncur III. | |||
Bobby Hutcherson Happenings
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Bobby Hutcherson's first quartet outing, Happenings, casts the brightest spotlight on the vibraphonist's soloing abilities, matching him once again with pianist Herbie Hancock (who is also heavily featured) and drummer Joe Chambers, plus bassist Bob Cranshaw. For that matter, the album also leans heavily on Hutcherson's compositional skills; save for Hancock's "Maiden Voyage," six of the seven numbers are Hutcherson originals. Given his reputation as a modernist, most of the pieces here are structured pretty simply -- there's a lot of straightforward modal hard bop, giving Hutcherson and Hancock plenty of room to solo. | |||
Jackie McLean Destination Out
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Of all of McLean's Blue Note dates, so many of which are classic jazz recordings, Destination Out! stands as the one that reveals the true soulfulness and complexity of his writing, arranging, and "singing" voice. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide | |||
Andrew Hill Judgement
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Augmenting his rhythm section of bassist Richard Davis and drummer Elvin Jones with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Andrew Hill records an excellent set of subdued but adventurous post-bop with Judgment!. Without any horns, the mood of the session is calmer than Black Fire, but Hill's compositions take more risks than before. Close listening reveals how he subverts hard bop structure and brings in rhythmic and harmonic elements from modal jazz and the avant-garde. The harmonic structure on each composition is quite complex, fluctuating between dissonant chords and nimble, melodic improvisations. | |||
Hank Mobley Hank Mobley Quintet
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This delightfully warm set was cut on March 8, 1957 with Mobley on tenor sax, Art Farmer on trumpet, Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and the energetic and busy Art Blakey on drums. All eight selections (two are bonus tracks, alternate versions of "Funk in Deep Freeze" and "Wham and They're Off") are original Mobley compositions and show off his -- you guessed it -- underrated writing and arranging ability. "Wham and They're Off" is an aptly named piece, bouncing breezily out of the box in both versions, while "Base on Balls" is wonderfully lazy and laconic, unwinding into a perfectly loose and soulful jam for a long summer's day. "Funk in Deep Freeze," by the way, seems more frozen than it is funk, but it's still fun. | |||
Grachan III Moncur Evolution
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One of the New Thing's extremely few trombonists and a greatly underappreciated composer of tremendous evocative power, Grachan Moncur III got his first major exposure on Jackie McLean's groundbreaking 1963 masterpiece, One Step Beyond. Toward the end of the year, most of the same musicians reconvened for Moncur's debut as a leader, Evolution; McLean, vibist Bobby Hutcherson, and drummer Tony Williams are all back, with Bob Cranshaw on bass and an extra voice in trumpeter Lee Morgan, moonlighting from his usual groovy hard bop style. While Moncur takes a little more solo space here, the main emphasis is on his talent as a composer. | |||
Thelonius Monk Genius of Modern Music 2
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On the second volume in this two-disc series Thelonious Monk has come fully into his own as a leader. The program consists almost entirely of original compositions, and in fact it opens with two of his most difficult: "Four in One" (with its conventional bop intro that leads into a bizarre, repeated five-against-two quintuplet sequence) and the forbiddingly abstract "Criss Cross." Get through those and you'll eventually be rewarded with the relatively straightforward, blues-based "Straight No Chaser" and the sweet ballad "Ask Me Now," among other treats. Sidemen include the young trumpeter Kenny Dorham and bassist Al McKibbon. | |||
Bud Powell Scene Changes
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Pianist Bud Powell made several fine recordings for Blue Note during the 1950s, including The Scene Changes, his last album for the label in 1958. He's joined by bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor on a handful of his own compositions. Powell is in excellent form, and there's a simple elegance to the small setting with each of the players sharing equal space in the stereo spectrum. The title cut bops along at a snappy pace before taking time out toward the end for a Taylor solo, while "Down With It" is pushed forward by Powell's forceful, driving rhythm. Extra touches here and there, like the piano intro on "Cleopatra's Dream" and the drum roll that kicks off "Duid Deed," lets the listener know these players are in the groove. | |||
Ike Quebec Bossa Nova Soul Samba
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This was veteran tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec's final recording as a leader. It was cut in October 1962 and produced by Alfred Lion a little more than three months before the saxophonist's death. Bossa Nova Soul Samba was recorded and released during the bossa nova craze, as Brazilian music was first brought to the attention of pop listeners via Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd's smash hit with Tom Jobim's "Desafinado," on their Jazz Samba record for Verve in February. After that, seemingly everyone was making a bossa nova record. Quebec's effort is a bit unusual in that none of the musicians (guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Wendell Marshall, drummer Willie Bobo, and percussionist Garvin Masseaux) was associated with Brazilian jazz before this. | |||
Wayne Shorter Speak No Evil
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On his third date for Blue Note within a year, Wayne Shorter changed the bands that played on both Night Dreamer and Juju and came up with not only another winner, but also managed to give critics and jazz fans a different look at him as a saxophonist. Because of his previous associations with McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and Reggie Workman on those recordings, Shorter had been unfairly branded with the "just-another-Coltrane-disciple" tag, despite his highly original and unusual compositions. Here, with only Jones remaining and his bandmates from the Miles Davis Quintet, Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter on board (with Freddie Hubbard filling out the horn section), Shorter at last came into his own and caused a major reappraisal of his earlier work. | |||
Jimmy Smith Home Cookin
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Although he never gained 'household name' status, his expansive catalog of recordings has long been considered as essential listening for lovers of post-bop and jazz keyboard. Joined by Donald Bailey (drums), Kenny Burrell (guitar), with occasional contributions from Percy France (tenor sax), Smith winds his trio through a selection of sublime R&B standards and fundamental originals. "See See Rider" kicks things off with a laid-back and sultry take of the Ma Rainey classic. Immediately, Smith and Burrell create a responsive interplay that gently builds into refining vamping and solo trading. "Sugar Hill" is a light and optimistic Burrell composition that bops as the co-leads call-and-respond in a game of musical tag. | |||
Mccoy Tyner Real McCoy
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Two and a half years after his last recording as a leader for Impulse, pianist McCoy Tyner emerged to start a period on Blue Note that would result in seven albums. Having left John Coltrane's Quartet in late 1965, Tyner was entering a period of struggle, although artistically his playing grew quite a bit in the late '60s. For this release, the pianist is teamed with tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Elvin Jones for five of his originals. Highlights of the easily recommended album include "Passion Dance," "Four by Five," and "Blues on the Corner." ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide | |||