The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

With rising cases of the Delta variant continuing to fill hospital beds to capacity with the unvaccinated causing other procedures to be postponed and medical staff walking out, I remain even more vigilant in protecting myself from those whose sole purpose is to put themselves and others in harm’s way. Remaining masked, socially distanced and secluded.

This week I’m pulling out the classic 1997 album Big Band by saxophonist Joe Henderson, the fourth of the five albums he recorded for Verve Records during the end of his career. The album was recorded at the Power Station ~ Berklee, New York City over a four year period between March 16, 1992 ~ June 26, 1996 and was released in 1997.

The sessions were produced, written and arranged by Joe Henderson, along with executive producer Richard Seidel, and producers Bob Belden (2,3,4,6,7,9), and Don Sickler (1,5,8). The production coordinator was Patricia Lie. The recording was mastered by Allan Tucker, mixed by Jim Anderson, photography by Jim Katz, and the i​Illustration was created by Edwin Fotheringham.

1. Without a Song (Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu) ~ 5:24
2. Isotope ~ 5:20
3. Inner Urge ~ 9:01
4. Black Narcissus ~ 6:53
5. A Shade Of Jade ~ 8:22
6. Step Lightly ~ 7:19
7. Serenity ~ 5:52
8. Chelsea Bridge (Billy Strayhorn) ~ 4:30
9. Recordame (Recuerdame) ~ 7:25

• Joe Henderson ~ tenor saxophone, arranger (tracks 1, 2, 5, 8)
• Slide Hampton ~ conductor, arranger (tracks 3, 7))
• Dick Oatts ~ soprano saxophone, alto saxophone
• Pete Yellin, Steve Wilson, Bobby Porcelli, John O’Gallagher ~ alto saxophone
• Craig Handy, Rich Perry, Tim Ries, Charles Pillow ~ tenor saxophone
• Joe Temperley, Gary Smulyan ~ baritone saxophone
• Freddie Hubbard, Raymond Vega, Idrees Sulieman, Jimmy Owens, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff, Marcus Belgrave, Nicholas Payton, Tony Kadleck, Michael Mossman, Virgil Jones, Earl Gardner, Byron Stripling ~ trumpet
• Conrad Herwig, Jimmy Knepper, Robin Eubanks, Keith O’Quinn, Larry Farrell, Kiane Zawadi ~ trombone
• David Taylor, Douglas Purviance ~ bass trombone
• Chick Corea, Helio Alves, Ronnie Mathews ~ piano
• Christian McBride ~ bass
• Joe Chambers, Al Foster, Lewis Nash, Paulinho Braga ~ drums
• Michael Mossman ~ arranger (track 9)
• Bob Belden ~ arranger (tracks: 4, 6)

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

As the Delta variant continues to ravage the country in another wave of rising illness and once again full hospitals, for those of us remaining vigilant I offer you listeners a classic album Bud Powell in Paris. This studio album was produced by Duke Ellington and released in 1964 for Reprise Records.

On this album recorded in Paris, France in February 1963, Leonard Feather wrote the liner notes, the cover painting was done by Donald Leake and digital mastering was performed by Lee Herschberg.

1. How High the Moon (Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton) ~ 3:54
2. Dear Old Stockholm (Traditional) ~ 3:53
3. Body and Soul (Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton) ~ 6:05
4. Jor-Du” (Duke Jordan) ~ 4:18
5. Reets and I (Benny Harris) ~ 3:43
6. Satin Doll (Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Mercer) ~ 4:45
7. Parisian Thoroughfare (Bud Powell) ~ 1:56
8. I Can’t Get Started (Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin) ~ 5:40
9. Little Benny (aka Bud’s Bubble) (Harris) ~ 3:31

Personnel

• Bud Powell ~ piano
• Gilbert Rovere ~ bass
• Kansas Fields ~ drums

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

Remaining vigilant, being healthy, social distancing as those in our nation who continue to navigate positively and negatively through this pandemic.

This week the album I’m recommending for listening is The Young Lions by Lee Morgan leading an ad hoc group of musicians who made up the septet for this recording. It was recorded on April 25, 1960 at the Bell Sound Studios in New York City and was produced by Sid McCoy. The album was released in 1961 on Vee~Jay Records.

The album title echoes that of a popular 1948 novel by Irwin Shaw which had been made into a feature film shortly before the album was recorded. The young lions who made the music on this album have varied musical philosophies and sundry jazz backgrounds.

The young lions phrase was revived in jazz in the 1980s when, as in 1960, there was a tension between the modern jazz traditionalists and the avant-garde.

1. Seeds of Sin (Shorter) ~ 5:44
2. Scourn’ (Shorter) ~ 5:58
3. Fat Lady (Shorter) ~ 5:03
4. Peaches and Cream (Shorter) ~ 6:52
5. That’s Right (Morgan) ~ 11:37

• Lee Morgan – trumpet
• Wayne Shorter – tenor sax
• Frank Strozier – alto sax
• Bobby Timmons – piano
• Bob Cranshaw – bass
• Albert “Tootie” Heath (3-5, 8) drums
• Louis Hayes (1, 2, 6, 7) – drums

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

As the pandemic wages on, rising numbers amongst the unvaccinated, the unmasked and the ignorant threaten the spread to the vaccinated and the children, while once again filling our hospitals. I cringe to think of the children who are going to be forced back to school without a vaccine. I’ve personally had a vaccinated friend who tested positive while working at a day camp with exposed children. Camp was shut down immediately, friend is fine but the Delta variant is highly contagious, like chicken pox. Be vigilant and stay safe.

With that in mind, I am pulling out the classic Song for My Father, the hard bop album by the Horace Silver Quintet, inspired by a trip that Silver made to Brazil. The songs were recorded at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey by two different ensembles over two sessions ~ 3,6 on October 31, 1963 and 1,2,4,5 on October 26, 1964. Produced by Alfred Lion, it was released on the Blue Note record label in January, 1965.

The cover artwork features a photograph of Silver’s father, John Tavares Silver, to whom the title composition is dedicated. The title track, Song for My Father, is the leader’s most recognized composition, blending his native Cape Verdean folk music with bossa nova.

1. Song for My Father ~ 7:17
2. The Natives Are Restless Tonight ~ 6:09
3. Calcutta Cutie ~ 8:31
4. Que Pasa ~ 7:47
5. The Kicker (Joe Henderson) ~ 5:26
6. Lonely Woman ~ 7:02

• Horace Silver ~ piano
• Carmell Jones ~ trumpet (2, 5 solo | 1, 4 ensemble)
• Joe Henderson ~ tenor saxophone (1,2,4,5)
• Teddy Smith ~ bass (1,2,4,5)
• Roger Humphries ~ drums (1,2,4,5)
• Blue Mitchell ~ trumpet (3, ensemble)
• Junior Cook ~ tenor saxophone (3, ensemble)
• Gene Taylor ~ bass (3,6)
• Roy Brooks ~ drums (3,6)

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

Taking the high road and staying safe, socially distanced and listening to great music. This week I am choosing A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing is the second studio album by pianist Vince Guaraldi, credited to the Vince Guaraldi Trio. It was recorded at Fantasy Recording Studios in San Francisco, California on April 16, 1957 and released in the U.S. the following year on the Fantasy Records label. Ralph J. Gleason wrote the liner notes and in 1994, Phil De Lancie produced the digital remastering.

1. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (Billy Strayhorn) ~ 5:37
2. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg) ~ 3:28
3. Yesterdays (Jerome Kern) ~ 4:00
4. Like A Mighty Rose aka Room At The Bottom (Vince Guaraldi) ~ 4:30

1. Looking For The Boy (George & Ira Gershwin) ~ 4:06
2. Autumn Leaves (Joseph Kosma) ~ 4:21
3. Lonely Girl (Bobby Troup) 3:23
4. Willow Weep For Me (Ann Ronell) ~ 5:14

• Vince Guaraldi – piano
• Eddie Duran – guitar
• Dean Reilly – double bass

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