Requisites

The Song Book ~ Booker Ervin | By Eddie Carter

In February 1964, tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin recorded an album of standards. The Song Book (Prestige PRLP7318/PRST 7318) is a quartet session featuring Tommy Flanagan on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. My copy is the 2023 Analogue Productions stereo audiophile reissue matching the original catalog number. The album opener, The Lamp Is Low by Peter de Rose, Mitchell Parish, Maurice Ravel, and Bert Shefter, kicks off the quartet’s melody at a fast gallop. Booker wails with remarkable energy, then Tommy rips down the road next. Richard follows suit with a brisk walk, and Alan goes to work last, preceding the ending theme and fadeout.

The quartet brings a profound emotional depth to Duke Ellington’s Come Sunday. Tommy’s gentle introduction sets the mood for Ervin’s warm tone, tenderly embracing the theme. Flanagan shines as the song’s lone soloist, delivering sweet moments of beauty matched by the rhythm section’s serene accompaniment, leading up to the leader’s soft conclusion. All The Things You Are by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern picks up the beat for the quartet’s lively melody. Booker goes right to work on the opening statement and is consistently inventive and entertaining. Tommy swings effortlessly into the spotlight next with a spirited solo before the theme’s restatement dissolves gradually.

Just Friends by John Klenner and Sam M. Lewis begins the second side on an upbeat note, with Flanagan’s introduction leading to the quartet’s opening theme. Ervin blazes the trail with a commanding performance, then Flanagan delivers the song’s second message with authority. Davis completes the proceedings with a concise comment leading to a charming conclusion. Yesterdays by Otto Harbach and Jerome Kern opens with a tender piano introduction ahead of the saxophonist’s beautiful melody. Tommy takes the first turn with an emotionally rich, heartfelt interpretation, then Booker blends nostalgia and sentiment flawlessly until the theme’s gentle reprise and serene ending.

Our Love Is Here To Stay by George and Ira Gershwin picks up the pace one final time for the foursome’s lively melody. Ervin takes hold of the first spot swiftly, then Flanagan swings effortlessly into the following reading. Davis provides the exclamation point propelled by the rhythm section’s brisk supplement, ahead of the group’s upbeat exit.

Don Schlitten produced The Song Book, and Rudy Van Gelder was the recording engineer. Kevin Gray mastered the audiophile reissue, and the album’s sound quality is mesmerizing, placing the musicians in front of the sweet spot. The record was pressed on 180 grams of audiophile vinyl and is quiet as a church mouse until the music starts.

Booker and the rhythm section bring each track to life with genuine emotion, and approach each song with heartfelt affection, showcasing a profound admiration for the melodies of these cherished standards. If you’re a fan of hard bop and haven’t acquired an earlier pressing yet, please make a note to add The Song Book by Booker Ervin to your list on your next record hunt. This Analogue Productions reissue beautifully celebrates the timeless treasures of The Great American Songbook and undoubtedly deserves a place in every jazz fan’s library!

~ All The Things You Are, Come Sunday, Just Friends, Love Is Here To Stay – Source: JazzStandards.com

~ The Lamp Is Low, Yesterdays – Source: Wikipedia.org

© 2025 by Edward Thomas Carter

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Nina Michelle was born on May 1, 1968 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She began studying classical piano at an early age of 5 and after graduating with honours, she received a scholarship to continue her music studies in the music and vocal program at Capillano University in North Vancouver.

In Vancouver she regularly performed with Linton Garner at Rossinis jazz club. Her many tours to Switzerland with drummer Charly Antolini and his Jazz Power. Since 1994 she’s been touring Europe with some of the finest musicians.

In 1998 Nina recorded a soundtrack with the Billy Gorldt Orchestra as well as acted in a Süddeutsche-Rundfunk film production directed by Oliver Storz, Against the End of the Night. Nina’s current work includes a live big band recording with the Munich Swing Orchestra for the Bayerischer Rundfunk as well as a Swinging Christmas recording produced by Max Greger Jr.

She has performed with several big bands, including SWR Big Band in charge of Max Greger, featuring among other solo artists Benny Bailey and Hugo Strasser.

At the moment, Nina’s performing with her own quartet, an international group of well-acclaimed musicians, among them Canadian bassist Rocky Knauer, Tizian Jost and Guido May.

Vocalist Nina Michelle currently lives in Munich, Germany and continues to perform and record.

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Jazz Poems

STARDUST

the blues

the reds, whatever

she can find—

short

changed, a chord—

God bless

the child

that’s got his own

& won’t mind

sharing some—

“BILLIES BOUNCE”

“BILLIES BOUNCE”

Miss Holiday’s up

on four counts

of possession, three-

fifths, the law

—locked up—

licked—the salt

the boot—refused

a chance to belt

tunes in the clubs—

ex-con. Man,

she got it

bad—Brother

can you spare

a dime

bag? MEANDERING

WARMING UP

A RIFF—

she’s all scat,

waxing—

SIDE A

SIDE B

OOH

SHOO DE

OBEE—

detoxec, thawed

in time

for Thanksgiving—live

as ammo, smoking

—NOV. 26 1945—

Day cold as turkey

KEVIN YOUNG

from Jazz Poems ~ Selected and Edited by Kevin Young

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Axel Dörner was born on April 26, 1964 in Cologne, Germany and studied piano in the Dutch town Arnhem, Netherlands and at the Music Academy in Cologne. From 1991 he studied trumpet with Malte Burba, and during his studies collaborated with trumpeter Bruno Light as the Street Fighters Duo.

The duo expanded to form the Street Fighters Quartet and the Street Fighters Double Quartet, with members including Matthias Schubert, Bruno Leicht, and Claudio Puntin. He formed the Axel Dörner Quartet with Frank Gratkowski, Hans Schneider, and Martin Blume, and played with saxophonist Matthias Petzold on the albums Lifelines and Psalmen Und Lobgesänge.

Living in Berlin, Germany since 1994 and is an integral part of the city’s scene of new improvisational and experimental music. Besides playing solo and in his trio TOOT with Phil Minton and Thomas Lehn, he has played with Otomo Yoshihide, and in the groups Die Anreicherung, Ig Henneman Sextet, Ken Vandermark’s Territory-Band, Hedros, and the London Jazz Composers’ Orchestra.

A versatile musician, he has worked in the idiom of bebop, playing on pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach’s album Monk’s Casino, featuring interpretations of the complete compositions of Thelonious Monk.

Trumpeter and pianist Axel Dörner continues to perform and record.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Marc Hoffman was born April 16, 1961 in Salisbury, North Carolina. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts and received a degree in composition. He continued his education at The Dartington International Summer School of Music in Devon, England then studied film composition at the University of Southern California. He studied with David Ott, Sherwood Shaffer, Leo Arnaud and Neil Hefti.

Up until the early 1990s Hoffman wrote concert music, music for theater, pop, Christian music and film composition. Then he focused his attention on jazz and began writing original compositions, both instrumental and vocal, creating his own arrangements of jazz standards. Establishing his own label, Virillion Music, he recorded Long Way Home in 2003 followed by his sophomore album Christmas Time. In 2010 he released Curioso of all-original jazz.

As an educator and author he teaches and lectures on classical, pop and film music and has published two books. He also is an instructor of piano, composition, and voice at Bold Music in the Charlotte, NC area.

Pianist, composer and vocalist Marc Hoffman continues to write concert music, instrumental and vocal jazz pieces, film scores, as well as performing works solo, or with his trio, quartet or quintet and with four- or five-piece bands in a variety of venues.

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