Requisites

2-3-4 is an album by drummer Shelly Manne features performances that were recorded in 1962 for the Impulse! Label. The name of the album is derived from its inclusion of a duet (“2”), two trio performances (“3”), and three tunes played by a quartet (“4”). Unusually, the standards “Take the “A” Train” and “Cherokee” were played in two tempos simultaneously, with Manne playing in double time consistently throughout “Cherokee”.

Not a typical album for the drummer, then primarily associated with West Coast jazz, he flew from Los Angeles to New York City on February 5, 1962, arranged by producer Bob Thiele. He was reunited with pioneering tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins and pianist Hank Jones, both of whom he had recorded with at different times in the 1940s.

The recording sessions took place at the Fine Recording Ballroom Studio A recording tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 & 8 on February 5 and tracks 2, 4 & 7 on February 8, 1962. In an unusual session lasting through the wee hours of the morning, he ended by recording one tune as a duet with Hawkins, who for the first time in his career was recorded also playing the piano.

The album also includes a second recording session at the same studio a few days later. Bassist George Duvivier stayed on with Manne, and they were joined by rising star Eddie Costa for two trio tracks. “The Sicks of Us” has Costa on vibes for a largely spontaneous trio number; on “Lean on Me”, Costa switches to piano.

The tracks on the original release are: Take the “A” Train, The Sicks of Us, Slowly, Lean on Me, Cherokee, and Me and Some Drums.

A fourth tune recorded by the quartet at the first session, “Avalon“, was released at first only in the Impulse! collection The Definitive Jazz Scene, Volume 1. Some thirty years later, it was included along with an alternative version of Lean On Me on the first CD reissue of 2-3-4 as bonus tracks.

Personnel: tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins on tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 & 8, pianist Hank Jones on tracks 1, 3, 5 & 8, pianist and vibraphonist Eddie Costa on tracks 2, 4 & 7, bassist George Duvivier on tracks 1–5, 7 & 8 and drummer Shelly Manne.

The cover design was created by Robert Flynn and the photograph was taken by Bob Gomel.

 

 

 

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,

Requisites

Morning Star is an album by flautist Hubert Laws recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey between September and November 1972. Produced by Creed Taylor, arranged and conducted by  Don Sebesky, the album was released on Taylor’s CTI label, only thirty-five minutes and forty-six seconds long.

Laws contributes three originals on this album with one traditional tune and two borrowed where noted: Morning Star (Rodgers Grant), Let Her Go, Where Is The Love (Ralph MacDonald, William Salter), No More, Amazing Grace (Traditional) and What Do You Think of This World Now? 

The players were substantial and included Hubert Laws – flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo; Alan Rubin, Marvin Stamm – trumpet, flugelhorn; Garnett Brown – trombone; James Buffington – French horn, Phil Bodner – clarinet, flute, alto flute; Romeo Penque – flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo, English horn, Jack Knitzer – bassoon; Bob James – electric piano; John Tropea – guitar; Ron Carter – bass; Billy Cobham – drums; Dave Friedman – vibraphone, percussion; Ralph MacDonald – percussion; Harry Cykman, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, David Nadien, Gene Orloff, Elliot Rosoff, Irving Spice – violin; George Koutzen, Charles McCracken, Lucien Schmit – cello; Gloria Agostini – harp; Lani Groves, Eloise Laws, Debra Laws, Tasha Thomas – vocal; and Don Sebesky – arranger, conductor.

The cover photograph was taken by Peter Turner and the cover design was by Bob Ciano.

More Posts: ,,,,,,,

Requisites

We Free Kings is a 1961 LP by the jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. His quartet works through a set of bluesy post-bop numbers, with equal bop and soul. The cover photograph was shot by Marvin Glick and the album length is thirty-eight minutes and forty seconds.

To bring this project to fruition he utilized two different bassists and two different pianists. The personnel were: Roland Kirk on tenor saxophone, manzello, flute, stritch saxophone, Charlie Persip on drums, Richard Wyands on piano on tracks 3-5 & 9, Art Davis on double bass on tracks 3-5 & 9, Hank Jones on piano for tracks 1-2 & 6-8 and Wendell Marshall on bass for tracks 1-2 & 6-8.

All of the compositions are by Roland Kirk except track #2 which was composed by Sam Coslow and Arthur Johnston, and track #5 composed by Charlie Parker. The title track, a Kirk composition, is a variation on the Christmas carol “We Three Kings”.

The nine songs that follow were recorded in New York on August 16-17, 1961 for the Mercury record label. The CD editions of the album include a different version of  the Parker tune Blues for Alice.

Three for the Festival, Moon Song, A Sack Full of Soul, The Haunted Melody, Blues for Alice, We Free Kings, You Did It, You Did It, Some Kind of Love and My Delight.

More Posts: ,,,,,,,

Requisites

Hammond B3 organist Richard “Groove” Holmes released his album A Bowl Of Soul in 1966 on the Valiant record label. The cover design was by Paul May. The session was produced by Nick Venet.

The original Soul-Jazz LP release seven compositions that featured four on Side A – A Bowl Of Soul, In The Dark, I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town, Night Train, and on Side B – R.F.K. Flies Home, How Long How Long Blues and Roll ‘Em Pete.

An import CD reissue, of which this is the cover photo, includes the eight other songs that were recorded at the same sessions but not released. Blues For Big Fred, Please Send Me Someone To Love, Tobacco Road, See See Rider, Organ Grinder, I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water, Mean Old Frisco Blues and Your Red Wagon.

The album was the result of two sessions in March of 1964. The exact dates are unknown. Holmes was back on both sessions by an orchestra conducted and arranged by Onzy Matthews.

More Posts: ,,,,,,

Requisites

Introducing The Afro Blues Quintet Plus One is a 1965 recording on the Mira label. The photograph and cover design was by George Whiteman, exemplifies a typical 1960s post-exotica style. Active as a photographer-designer during the Sixties, he produced covers for both jazz and blues artists, such as Jimmy Reed and B.B. King.

An obscure album from an obscure Los Angeles, California based jazz combo, the surprise is finding how much it swings. Possible reasons: the youthful exuberance of its then-22-year-old leader and vibraphonist Joe De Aguero, the clever arrangements of standards and pop tunes, and the live recording (though no date or location is given).

Some reasons why, on the other hand, it’s not as good as it could be: a sameness to the arrangements (similar chord changes and runs in both “Liberation” and “Together” really stand out), soloing that never stakes its claim, missed opportunities to really add the “Afro” (read: African percussion) that makes up half of its name. The main ingredient here is a gospel swing that infects “Jericho” as well as an inventive take on “Walk On By.”

Young compiles on this recording the following eight compositions: Moses, Liberation, The Monkey Time, Summertime, Jericho, Walk On By, Together, and The “In” Crowd.   Long out of print, this album is worth hunting down. #jazz #classic #collectible #music

More Posts: ,,,,,,,,

« Older Posts       Newer Posts »
© Notorious Jazz 2025