Requisites

Peckin’ Time ~ Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s record from the library is a perfect description of the term “two heads are better than one.” During the fifties and sixties, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley and trumpeter Lee Morgan collaborated on several jazz albums. Peckin’ Time (Blue Note BLP 1574/BST 81574) is a 1959 release and one of their earliest dates together. Hank composed four of the five tunes on this album. They are joined by a fabulous rhythm section: Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. My copy is the 1978 King Record Company Japanese Mono reissue (Blue Note BLP 1574 – GXK 8095).

Side One takes off with the quintet’s brisk melody to High and Flighty. Hank starts right out of the gate quickly. Lee gets into a robust reading next, and then Wynton gives an enthusiastic statement. Charlie shares the closing solo with both horns in a vigorous conversation until the ensemble’s lively climax. The album’s only standard, Speak Low by Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash comes to life with the rhythm section’s Latin introduction to Lee beginning the theme and Hank completing the melody. Mobley opens with a warm tone in a delicate statement. Wynton enters next with a fine flow of ideas, then Lee eases into the finale before the theme’s restatement and finish.

Peckin’ Time is a catchy original beginning in a medium groove for the quintet’s melody. Wynton breaks the ice with a joyous and carefree solo. Hank approaches the following reading with confidence; then, Lee cooks in the third statement. Paul takes a short walk toward the front line’s final exchange into the closing chorus. Stretchin’ Out raises the temperature to begin Side Two with the ensemble’s fleet theme. Morgan takes flight first with a festive solo. Kelly fuels the second statement with energy, and then Mobley heats things up further before exchanging a few riffs with Persip. The drummer has a short workout until Morgan and Mobley add a few last thoughts to the ending.

Git Go Blues begins with the trio’s introduction leading to the quintet’s easygoing theme, giving way to Hank’s cheery opening statement. Lee continues the good feelings in the following solo. Wynton follows them both with a relaxing performance. Paul adds a concise comment next; then Hank ties it all together until the quintet takes it out after the theme reprise. Alfred Lion produced Peckin’ Time, and Rudy Van Gelder recorded the session. The album’s sound quality is excellent with a superb soundstage in the highs, midrange, and low end that’s sure to stand out on any good mid-fi or high-end audio system.

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan always worked well together, and they consistently complimented each other’s playing. Lee appeared on seven additional Blue Note LPs with Mobley. Hank appeared on three records with Morgan. If you’re a fan of either musician and in the mood for excellent hard-bop jazz, I highly recommend and offer for your consideration, Peckin’ Time by Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, the next time you’re out record shopping. It’s an enjoyable and entertaining album that’s sure to please any jazz lover and demonstrates why “two heads are better than one” fits this duo perfectly!

A Caddy For Daddy (Blue Note BLP 4230/BST 84230), A Slice of The Top (Blue Note LT-995), Charisma (Blue Note BST 84312), Cornbread (Blue Note BLP 4222/BST 84222), Dippin’ (Blue Note BLP 4209/BST 84209), Hank Mobley Sextet (Blue Note BLP 1540/BST 81540), No Room For Squares (Blue Note BLP 4149/BST 84149), Straight No Filter (Blue Note BST 84435), The Rajah (Blue Note BST 84426), Third Season (Blue Note LT-1081) – Source: Discogs.com

~ Speak Low – Source: JazzStandards.com © 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter

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Daily dose Of Jazz…

David Kane was born in Glasgow, Scotland on April 13, 1955 and moved to the United States with his family in 1965. He began playing piano and composing music at the age of eight and went on to attend North Texas State University in 1972. Moving to Washington, D.C. in 1975, he studied with Doctor Asher Zlotnik for five years. In addition, he studied with Ludmila Ulehla, Alan Mandel, and Clare Fischer.

He has performed with Woody Shaw, David Liebman, Marlene VerPlanck, Charlie Byrd, Jim Snidero, Mark Murphy, Eddie Daniels, Dizzy Gillespie, Pam Bricker, Maxine Sullivan, Tom Keenlyside, and Michelle Hendricks. In addition, he has led his jazz quartet featuring drummer Michael S. Smith, saxophonist Glenn Cashman, and bassist Drew Gress.

Kane has accompanied many classical artists including the Twentieth Century Consort, the National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Church, Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, Denyce Graves, and James Galway.

Having composed a variety of chamber works, David is also a prolific composer for film and television for over 30 years with over 250 credits to his name. Most notably, he composed music for the National Geographic Channel, the Smithsonian Channel and for Public Radio International.

From 2006 to 2015, he put on his music critic cap and wrote for Cadence Magazine. In 2021 Jamey Aebersold Jazz published his treatise on improvisation, Playing Outside the Chord. Pianist, composer, arranger, author and music critic David Kane continues to expand his endeavors in music.

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Jazz Poems

CANARY For Michael S. Harper Billie Holiday’s burned voice had as many shadows as lights, a mournful candelabra against a sleek piano, the gardenia her signature under the ruined face. (Now you’re cooking, drummer to bass, magic spoon, magic needle. Take all day if you have to with your mirror and your bracelet of song.) Fact is, the invention of women under seige has been to sharpen love in the service of myth. If you can’t be free, be a mystery. RITA DOVE

from Jazz Poems ~ Selected and Edited by Kevin Young

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Matt Kendrick, was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on April 1, 1957 and attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He moved to New York City in 1977 and for four years performed in numerous avant-garde venues. After studying with jazz educator Jerry Coker at the University of Tennessee, and playing in the Knoxville Symphony, he returned home in 1981.

As a composer, he has released to critical acclaim five compact discs, featuring more than forty of his own compositions. He has scored music for three films, leads the Matt Kendrick Unit,and has performed with Marian McPartland, Tierney Sutton, Archie Shepp and Jaki Byard.

He serves on the board of Music Carolina, is the music director for Carolina Music Ways, and is co-artistic director for Music Carolina, a non-profit arts presenting organization. As an educator Kendrick was on the faculty at Wake Forest University for 25 years.

With four decades under his belt, bassist Matt Kendrick continues to compose, perform, and teach.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Dave Stryker was born March 30, 1957 and grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. At ten years old he was inspired by the Beatles to start playing guitar. His interest was rock and roll until he heard the albums My Favorite Things by John Coltrane and Beyond the Blue Horizon by George Benson. By seventeen, he was a jazz guitarist in town.

In 1978 he moved to Los Angeles, California where he took lessons from another Omaha native, Billy Rogers, and met organist Jack McDuff. After moving to New York City, he toured with McDuff in 1984 and1985, then spent ten years with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.

Forming a band with Steve Slagle and a trio with Jared Gold and Tony Reedus he went on to work with Kevin Mahogany as sideman, composer, and arranger. Dave appeared with him at Carnegie Hall, and toured with him in Europe and Japan. He has also worked with Eliane Elias, Javon Jackson, and Andy LaVerne.

As an educator he teaches jazz guitar at Indiana University, Montclair State University, at the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop, the Litchfield Jazz Camp, and the Veneto/New School Workshop in Italy.

He recorded 38 albums as a leader, 5 with the Stryker/Slagle band, 2 with Trio Mundo and as a sideman he recorded 34 albums with Jared Gold, Steve Slagle, Allan Botschinsky, Don Braden, Kendall “Keyz” Carter, Rondi Charleston, Royce Campbell, Mike Freeman, Spellbound, Giacomo Gates, Craig Handy, Javon Jackson, Matthew Kaminski, Andy LaVerne, Pete Levin, Kevin Mahogany, Jorge Nila, Tony Reedus, Larry Schneider, Stanley Turrentine, Charenee Wade, and Matthew Whitaker.

Guitarist Dave Stryker, who has been named Top Ten Guitarists and Rising Star by Down Beat magazine, continues to perform and  record.

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