The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

The Quarantined Jazz Voyager wants you to be safe and encourages your diligence in staying healthy by not rushing to get back to normal. As we continue to practice social distancing by staying home, we can listen to great music and share that music with each other weekly to give you a little insight into the music choices during this sabbatical from jet setting investigations of jazz around the globe.

The world will be back and so will I. Until that outcome comes to fruition, this week’s entry is the 1965 album Angel Eyes by tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons.

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Requisites

Poppin’ ~ Hank Mobley | By Eddie Carter

Up next from the library is a recent acquisition by a member of The Jazz Messengers and a superb tenor saxophonist of the first order.  Hank Mobley steps into the spotlight with his 2020 release Poppin’ (Blue Note Tone Poet Series B0030597-01). It was the third of four dates Hank recorded that year and he leads an outstanding sextet consisting of Art Farmer on trumpet; Pepper Adams on baritone sax; Sonny Clark on piano; Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.  The title tune by Mobley kicks off Side One with a vigorously energetic melody in unison. Sonny is up first, delivering each note with radiant heat, illustrating he was maturing and developing the style that would make him one of Blue Note’s most frequently recorded musicians. Pepper steps in next, building each verse with zestful virtuosity, then Art attacks the next solo with great relish.  Hank executes a knockout performance next and Philly closes with propelling force ahead of the reprise and coda.

Darn That Dream, written in 1939 by Jimmy Van Heusen and Eddie De Lange made its debut in the Broadway musical Swingin’ The Dream that premiered that year.  The sextet opens with a brief introduction by the trio and a pensive opening chorus led by Mobley who begins with a softly expressive interpretation.  Farmer also gives a voluptuously pretty muted performance revealing his intimate feelings. Adams follows with a reading exhibiting sensual beauty, then Clark takes the final spot on a deeply enticing solo leading to Hank’s poignantly affecting ending.  Getting’ Into Something, also by the leader ends Side One with the ensemble presenting a lively melody.  Hank goes first with a vibrant performance that starts the listener’s finger-snapping and foot-tapping.  Art follows with a dazzling display of fireworks, then Pepper takes over for a captivating presentation of creative excitement and Sonny caps the solos with electrifying enthusiasm driving straight into the closing chorus.

Tune-Up by Miles Davis starts Side Two, giving everyone a chance for extensive solos starting with a brief introduction by Jones leading the way into the sextet’s collective melody.  Miles wrote it in 1953 and it originally appeared on the ten-inch LP, Miles Davis Quartet a year later. Farmer brings the heat on a fiery hot opening solo, then Pepper takes flight next proceeding swiftly through an exhilarating statement.  Clark fills the next spot of a hard-driving performance with a spontaneous lyricism that burns brightly and strongly. Paul heats up the fourth solo, walking briskly with blazing bass lines, then Hank raises the temperature a few degrees higher on the next solo with electrical energy.  Philly puts the exclamation point on the song with a short statement of ferocious intensity leading to the summation. Hank’s East of Brooklyn closes the album with a soulful Latin flavor on the melody by the sextet.  The leader starts the solos with a charismatic performance, then Art steps up next to spread a little joy on the second statement.  Pepper displays his remarkable gift for straight-ahead bop on a gorgeous reading next, and Sonny reveals the hands of a master in a splendid interpretation that’s a treat to hear.  Paul provides the perfect ending in a nicely conceived, well-executed presentation that says something succinctly before the ensemble’s reprise and exit.

Hank Mobley was also a prolific and gifted composer, whether he wrote tender ballads or torrid uptempo tunes, each work is so eminently enjoyable to listen to and several have become jazz standards.  He recorded a total of twenty albums for Blue Note from 1955 to 1970, and also made records for Prestige, Roulette, Savoy and one LP for Cobblestone as co-leader of The Cedar Walton-Hank Mobley Quintet.  His time with The Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis, Horace Silver and as a leader served him well as one of the best and most sought-after tenor saxophonists in Hard-Bop and Soul-Jazz during the sixties and early seventies.  Lung problems from smoking would force Hank to retire in the mid-seventies. He worked only two more times performing once in 1985 and an engagement a few months before his death from pneumonia at the age of fifty-five on May 30, 1986.

The music on Poppin’ was exquisitely recorded by Rudy Van Gelder and the sound quality is simply breathtaking.  The album was analog remastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original master tapes, and the reissue was supervised by Joe Harley of Music Matters Jazz.  The result is the sextet emerges from your speakers with superb detail and fidelity from each of the instruments as if they’re playing right in front of you. Like their MMJ cousins, the Blue Note Tone Poet Series reissues utilize 180-gram audiophile vinyl, are plated and pressed at RTI, and come in deluxe gatefold packaging with photos worthy of hanging on your listening room wall.  The three-horn lineup of Pepper Adams, Art Farmer, and the leader make a formidable front line together and are all excellent soloists. The music swings throughout each selection with the superb ensemble work provided by Sonny Clark, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. In short, Poppin’ by Hank Mobley is a stellar fifties session that I not only recommend but feel will be welcomed in the libraries of any new or seasoned jazz fan!

~ Miles Davis Quartet (Prestige PRLP-161); The Complete Blue Note Hank Mobley Fifties Sessions (Mosaic Records MQ10-181) – Source: Discogs.com

~ Darn That Dream, Swingin’ The Dream – Source: JazzStandards.com

~ RTI is the abbreviation for Record Technologies, Inc.

~ Hank Mobley – Source: Wikipedia.org

Poppin’ is an album recorded in 1957 by saxophonist Hank Mobley but wasn’t released on Blue Note Japan until 1980. 

Track List | 40:18

All compositions by Hank Mobley except as indicated

1. Poppin’ ~ 6:33
2. Darn That Dream (DeLange, VanHeusen) ~ 6:10
3. Gettin’ Into Something ~ 6:33
4. Tune-Up (Davis) ~ 10:53
5. East Of Brooklyn ~ 10:09

Personnel

• Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
• Art Farmer – trumpet
• Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
• Sonny Clark – piano
• Paul Chambers – bass
• Philly Joe Jones – drums

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Requisites

Waltz For Debby ~ Bill Evans Trio | By Eddie Carter

By 1961, pianist Bill Evans not only had one of the best trios in the United States but one of the best groups in jazz with bassist Scott LaFaro who would replace Sam Jones and Paul Motion on drums.  Together, this threesome made four incredible albums for Riverside Records. Portrait in Jazz in 1960, Explorations in 1961, and two albums recorded in performance at The Village Vanguard, on June 25, 1961.  Sunday at The Village Vanguard released the same year and the subject of this morning’s discussion, Waltz For Debby (RLP 399/RS 9399) in 1962. These LP’s became a standard of excellence among other piano-bass-drums records that followed.  My copy used in this report is the 2000 Mono audiophile reissue (DIW-9011 – RLP-399) by DIW Records. This is the third Japanese pressing of Waltz For Debby, but the first Mono reissue manufactured by Victor Entertainment, Inc. The previous two albums released in 1975 and 1984 were both Stereo reissues by Victor Musical Industries, Inc.

The opening track, My Foolish Heart was written in 1949 by Ned Washington and Victor Young!  This timeless evergreen became a well-recorded jazz standard and was featured on the silver screen in the film dramatization, the same year.  The introduction is a suspenseful and ingeniously planned affair where the trio interacts beautifully so that no one voice dominates or falls subordinate to the others.  Bill is ideally suited to this serene standard as the song’s only soloist because he could create compelling improvisations in any context. Here, he crafts a stately delicate reading that unfolds its beauty gently.  Scott and Paul complement the pianist with a subtle expression of intimacy that’s beautiful and as lush as any I’ve heard.

Bill’s contribution to the album is the title tune, named for the pianist’s niece and one of two selections heard here that made their first appearance on the 1956 album, New Jazz Conceptions.  The introduction is a mild two instrument dialogue by Bill and Scott evolving into a midtempo theme treatment when Paul joins the conversation. Evans’ opening solo is a gorgeous tour-de-force surging with vibrant activity, then LaFaro gives a vigorous exercise on the closer delivered with the utmost assurance that’s impossible not to tap your foot to.

Detour Ahead by bassist and violinist, John Frigo, guitarist Herb Ellis, and pianist Lou Carter is a song that hasn’t lost its charm by being done too often.  This jazz standard was written in 1947 after all three musicians left The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra to form a trio, The Soft Winds. Bill masterfully negotiates the opening statement affectionately with skillfully paced cues of rich intonation.  Scott closes with an expressive reading that’s inexpressibly poignant and heartfelt into an elegant coda.

My Romance by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart was written in 1935 for the Broadway musical, Jumbo and also returns in the 1962 musical film, Billy Rose’s Jumbo.  This evergreen opens with a marvelous solo introduction by Evans, then LaFaro and Motion shine joining him for a midtempo theme treatment that doesn’t fail to please the audience and listener.  Bill’s opening solo is on point, emphasizing his remarkable technique and facility for complex melodic invention. Scott moves with supreme confidence and a lively rhythmic drive on the final reading propelled by the nostalgic reinforcement of the piano and drums until the blissful ending.

The opening notes of Some Other Time by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green recall Evans’ and Paul Chambers’ introduction to Miles Davis’ Flamenco Sketches two years earlier on Kind of Blue.  This tune was written in 1944 and featured in the musical, On The Town. The pianist originally planned to record it on his 1958 album, Everybody Digs Bill Evans, but used another Bernstein, Comden, Green composition instead, Lucky To Be Me that’s also heard in the film.  The trio presents the melody with a collective warm glow, and Bill delivers a gentle tenderness and tranquility on the song’s only solo that’s bewitching. Scott and Paul add a lovingly subtle supplement that’s just the right touch culminating with a tender climax and warm response from the crowd.

The album closes, paying homage to Evans’ old boss Miles Davis with a scintillating rendition of Milestones, first performed by the trumpeter as the title tune of his 1958 album.  This jazz standard opens with a medium-fast introduction by the trio that shifts into uptempo for the melody.  Evans is extremely entertaining on the first solo, working efficiently to the sparkling groundwork of his bandmates.  The highlight though is the fireworks LaFaro creates on a marvelously energetic closer that’s a perfect finish to a phenomenal set and album.

Scott LaFaro was a gifted hard-bop bassist who was highly engaging.  He also added a dimension of artistic delicacy, maturity and meticulousness to the four albums he appeared as a member of The Bill Evans Trio.  LaFaro was considered one of the best musicians in jazz and was slated to do greater things in the years ahead. Sadly, that wouldn’t happen because just ten days after this recording was made, he would die in an automobile accident devastating Evans personally and the loss to jazz itself was incalculable.  The six selections on this LP were splendidly recorded originally by Dave Jones and the remastering by JVC Mastering Center for this reissue is extraordinary. Like its companion, Sunday at The Village Vanguard, Waltz For Debby is an evocative, riveting live performance that’s captured at its apex and a musical treat by The Bill Evans Trio that I strongly recommend auditioning and occupying a spot in your jazz library!

~ Everybody Digs Bill Evans (Riverside RLP 12-291/RLP 1129); Explorations (RLP 351/RLP 9351); Kind of Blue (Columbia CL 1355/CS 8163); Milestones (Columbia CL 1193/CS 9428); New Jazz Conceptions (RLP 12-223); Portrait in Jazz (RLP 12-315/RLP 1162); Sunday at The Village Vanguard (RLP-376/RLP 9376); Waltz For Debby (Riverside Original Recording Series SMJ-6118); (Riverside Jazz Golden 50 VIJ-113) – Source: Discogs.com

~ Detour Ahead, My Foolish Heart, My Romance, Some Other Time – Source: JazzStandards.com

~ Victor Entertainment, Inc. is the new name for Victor Musical Industries, Inc.

~ Jumbo, Billy Rose’s Jumbo, On The Town, Lucky To Be Me, The Soft Winds – Source: Wikipedia.org

© 2020 by Edward Thomas Carter

Waltz for Debby is a 1962 live album by jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans recorded June 21, 1961 at the Village Vanguard. It was released in early 1962.  The album was the fourth and final effort from the unit as bassist Scott LaFaro died in a car accident just ten days after this live date.

1. My Foolish Heart (Victor Young/Ned Washington) – 4:58
2. Waltz for Debby [Take 2] (Bill Evans/Gene Lees) – 7:00
3. Detour Ahead [Take 2] (Lou Carter, Herb Ellis, Johnny Frigo) – 7:37
4. My Romance [Take 1] (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart) – 7:13
5. Some Other Time (Leonard Bernstein/Betty Comden/Adolph Green) – 5:11
6. Milestones (Miles Davis) – 6:30

• Bill Evans ~ piano
• Scott LaFaro ~ bass
• Paul Motian ~ drums

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The Sermon! is a 1959 album by jazz organist Jimmy Smith. It was produced by Alfred Lion for the Blue Note record label. The album was recorded at The Manhattan Towers Hotel Ballroom on August 25, 1957 (#2) and February 25, 1958 (#1, 3). The engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, used the ballroom as a recording studio for ensembles to large for his parents’ Hackensack, New Jersey home studio where he recorded artists for Blue Note. Reid Miles designed the cover, Francis Wolff took the photograph and Ira Gitler wrote the liner notes.

Track Listing | 40:10

1. The Sermon (Jimmy Smith) – 20:12
2. J.O.S. (Jimmy Smith) – 11:56
3. Flamingo (Edmund Anderson, Ted Grouya) – 8:02

Track 1 ~ Jimmy Smith – organ, Lee Morgan – trumpet, Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone, Tina Brooks – tenor saxophone, Kenny Burrell – guitar, Art Blakey – drums

Track 2 ~ Jimmy Smith – organ, Lee Morgan – trumpet, George Coleman – alto saxophone, Eddie McFadden – guitar, Donald Bailey – drums

Track 3 ~ Jimmy Smith – organ, Lee Morgan – trumpet, Kenny Burrell – guitar, Art Blakey – drums

As Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt were to the alto sax; Clifford Brown, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie to the trumpet; John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins and Sonny Rollins to the tenor sax; Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell were to the piano; Jimmy Smith was to the Hammond B-3 organ.  From his 1956 Blue Note debut, A New Sound, A New Star until 1962 when he left the label moving to Verve Records and throughout the remainder of the decade, any release by the organist was praised as a major event in Jazz. Smith’s contributions to the development of modern jazz on the organ are as many fans and critics alike called him, “incredible”.  An accomplished pianist originally, he didn’t begin playing the organ until he was twenty-eight years old but established and personified a jazz language for the instrument by mastering his approach of playing chords with his left hand, harmonic and rhythmic lines with his right hand while walking bass lines with his left foot.

I began my love affair with Jazz at the age of eight and my education into this extraordinary music on Jimmy’s 1959 LP, The Sermon (BLP 4011).  It’s the companion to Houseparty, recorded at the same session but released a year earlier in 1958! The all-star group supporting Smith are Lee Morgan on trumpet (tracks: A1, B1, B2); Lou Donaldson (track: A1), George Coleman (track: B1) on alto sax; Tina Brooks on tenor sax (track: A1); Kenny Burrell (track: A1, B2), Eddie McFadden (track: B1) on guitar; Art Blakey (tracks: A1, B2), Donald Bailey (track: B1) on drums.  My copy used in this report is the 1992 Toshiba-EMI Limited Japanese Stereo reissue (BST 84011-BN 4011). Jimmy begins the sidelong title tune (dedicated to label mate, Horace Silver) at a bluesy groove with a cool lyricism introducing the melody tastefully supported by Kenny and Art. Smith sustains the momentum on the opening solo at a low flame, building each phrase gradually and enveloping each beat to a marvelous conclusion.  Kenny imprints his unmistakable stamp on the next reading with emphasis. Tina is beautifully captured on the third performance with considerable zest and joyous feeling. Lee preaches the next statement of this marathon jazz service with an exquisite interpretation. Lou taps the same impeccable vein on the final solo with a sinuous blues workout into the sextet’s collective summation and Jimmy’s slow fade into nothingness.

Smith opens Side Two, hitting a lively beat that doesn’t let up on his uptempo composition, J.O.S., titled for his full name, James Oscar Smith.  Jimmy’s trio of Eddie McFadden and Donald Bailey sets the tone with a high-spirited introduction, blending into the opening statement by Coleman who cooks with boundless energy that’s rocking all the way.  Morgan elevates the next solo with the burning intensity of a raging inferno fueling the rhythm section into a high-octane culmination. McFadden is given plenty of space on the next reading and doesn’t disappoint with electrically charged energy that pulls no punches.  Smith cooks so hard with a sweltering, soulful closing performance so infectiously swinging, he’s almost unstoppable preceding the ferocious climax. The LP concludes with the lovely ballad, Flamingo by Edmund Anderson and Theodor Grouya, a favorite tune and regular feature of bandleader Duke Ellington.  Lee leads the quartet on the theme, setting down a subtle melody that’s absolutely gorgeous. He also reveals his more lyrical side on the first statement with an intimate interpretation, succeeded by Kenny who gives a brief, elegantly articulated reading over Jimmy and Art who anchor with reflective tenderness into the theme’s reprise and finale.  These are three excellent reasons why the jazz world referred to him as “The Incredible Jimmy Smith”. His highest praise came from Miles Davis who after hearing him, paid Jimmy the greatest compliment by saying, “this cat is the eighth wonder of the world”. The sound quality is superb with a brilliant soundstage throughout the treble, midrange, and bass spectrum that puts your sweet spot in the center surrounded by the musicians enjoying their music first hand.  The Sermon is a must for anyone who loves jazz organ, and an essential acquisition for your jazz library that’s perfect to experience on Sunday, or any other day of the week!

After Smith’s enormous hit of Walk on The Wild Side from his Verve Records debut, Bashin’, Alfred Lion capitalized on his popularity by issuing nine albums by the organist from 1962 to 1968.  Jimmy Smith Plays Fats Waller came out in 1962; Back At The Chicken Shack, and Rockin’ The Boat in 1963; and Prayer Meetin’ hit the stores in 1964! The other five titles were previously unissued because of his healthy Blue Note catalog of LP’s that was still selling well: Softly As A Summer Breeze came out in 1965; Bucket and Open House in 1966; I’m Movin’ On in 1967 and Plain Talk in 1968!  In 1979 as a reissue label under United Artists Records, Blue Note Classic released Confirmation and Cool Blues in 1980 and On The Sunny Side in 1981! King Record Company released a Japanese Mono compilation album of 45-rpm records titled The Singles. In 1984, Blue Note released another Japanese album consisting of unreleased tracks, Special Guests. Jimmy eventually resigned with Blue Note after the label’s resurgence in 1985, recording four studio albums and two live performances, Go For Whatcha Know in 1986; *The Master in 1994; *The Master II; *Standards in 1998; *Six Views of The Blues in 1999 and the final Blue Note album, *Straight Life was released in 2007, two years after his death in 2005!

~ A New Sound, A New Star (Blue Note BLP 1512-BST 81512/BLP 1514-BST 81514); Back At The Chicken Shack (BLP 4117/BST 84117); Bashin’ (Verve Records V-8474/V6-8474); Bucket (BLP 4235/BST 84235); Confirmation (Blue Note Classic LT-992); Cool Blues (LT-1054); Go For Whatcha Know (BT-85125); Houseparty (BLP 4002/BST 84002); I’m Movin’ On (BLP 4255/BST 84255); Jimmy Smith Plays Fats Waller (BLP 4100/BST 84100); On The Sunny Side (LT-1092); Open House (BLP 4269/BST 84269); Plain Talk (BST 84296); Prayer Meetin’ (BLP 4164/BST 84164); Rockin’ The Boat (BLP 4141/BST 84141); Six Views of The Blues (CDP 21435); Softly As A Summer Breeze (BLP 4200/BST 84200); Special Guests (BNJ-50101); Standards (CDP 21282); Straight Life (Blue Note Connoisseur Series CDP 85192); The Master (CDP 30451); The Master Two (CDP 554662); The Singles (K18P-9280) – Source: Discogs.com

*CD-albums ~ Flamingo – Source: Wikipedia.org © 2020 by Edward Thomas Carter

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East Coasting is an album by Charles Mingus, recorded in New York City on August 16, 1957 for the Bethlehem record label and released later the same year. All of the songs were composed by Mingus except where noted.

TRACKLIST | 38:49

1. Memories of You [Take 7] (Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf) – 4:27
2. East Coasting [Take 4] – 5:13
3. West Coast Ghost [Take 6] – 10:2
4. Celia [Take 5] – 7:54
5. Conversation [Take 16] – 5:28
6. Fifty-First Street Blues [Take 4] – 5:48
7. East Coasting [alternate take] – 5:30
8. Memories of You [alternate take] (Blake, Razaf) – 4:42

PERSONNEL

• Charles Mingus – bass
• Clarence Shaw – trumpet
• Jimmy Knepper – trombone
• Shafi Hadi – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
• Bill Evans – piano
• Dannie Richmond – drums

East Coasting ~ Charles Mingus | By Eddie Carter

This next LP from the library is one of the underrated jewels in the discography of jazz legend, Charles Mingus.  A distinguished bandleader, bassist, civil rights activist and composer, Mingus played on and produced some of the greatest albums during the fifties.  He founded an independent record label, Debut Records in 1952 with his first wife, Celia, and drummer Max Roach. Charles also recorded for several record labels throughout his career, Atlantic, Candid, Columbia, Impulse, Mercury and United Artists Jazz.  For his autobiography, Beneath the Underdog: His World as composed by Mingus, co-written with Louis Lomax, the bassist worked for nearly two decades writing the book until it was published in 1971. The original manuscript totaled nearly fifteen-hundred pages, but the published copy was reduced by nearly two thirds.  The album offered now for your consideration is East Coasting (Bethlehem Records BCP 6019), released in 1957. It comes four years after Jazz at Massey Hall and two years before his 1959 Post-Bop masterpiece, Mingus Ah Um. The lineup is Clarence Shaw on trumpet; Jimmy Knepper on trombone; Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor saxes; Bill Evans on piano and Dannie Richmond on drums.  My copy used in this report is the 2014 Pure Pleasure UK Mono Audiophile reissue (PPAN 6019).

The album opener is the 1930 song, Memories of You by legendary jazz, ragtime pianist Eubie Blake and Andy Razaf.  Shaw on muted trumpet and Mingus present the introduction affectionately preceding the sextet’s tender melody. Evans takes the first solo with a brief reading of elegant sincerity, revealing a glimpse of what he would play two years later on Kind of Blue.  Knepper is up next, caressing each note with a lushness and warmth conveying his deepest feelings and roots in a personal expression that will linger long after the song ends. Hadi opens things up on the song’s final interpretation with a short tenor solo of potent playing that’s superbly matched by Richmond’s pensive brushwork into the ensemble’s melodic closing chorus.  The title tune is a lighthearted medium tempo swinger and the first of five originals by Mingus making up the remainder of the album. The solo order is Knepper, Evans, Shaw, Hadi and opens with the sextet’s spirited theme treatment. Jimmy is up first with a vivaciously spirited opening statement swinging smoothly to a splendid climax. Bill makes the next solo his own with an exceptional performance that’s completely infectious.  Clarence also captivates with a reading that bounces along off the rhythm section’s supplement.  Shafi, still on tenor, takes the stage last, wailing on a bewitchingly delightful presentation into a dazzling ending.

West Coast Ghost ends the first side with a distinctive mixture of bop and the blues bringing to mind the street musicians march through the French Quarter in New Orleans.  Mingus describes the tune as himself because while living in New York, many of his peers thought him to be an East Coast musician exclusively. That wasn’t the case; Charles saw himself as a West Coast bassist because he also had a home in California and spent a lot of time there also.  Clarence leads off with a bright, relaxed interpretation. Shafi soars seamlessly on the next solo, holding no punches with a stimulating sound that’s irresistible. Bill communicates his points well on a luminous performance, then Jimmy hits a splendid pace on the fourth interpretation with imposing authority.  Charles puts an exclamation point on this enjoyable tune, casting his spell with a gripping presentation before the reprise. Celia, a poignantly beautiful ballad by Mingus named for his wife opens the second side. She was a producer of documentaries and they were married from 1951 to 1958. The song starts with a gentle introduction by the trio possessing a quiet fire that glows deeply into Clarence’s dreamy muted trumpet for the opening and closing melody.  Shafi leads off this time on alto with a soft, sensuous interpretation. Jimmy comes next, delivering an affectionately delicate message. Bill follows him with an intimately lyrical performance that’s stunning. Clarence takes the final bow with the mute off for an enthralling performance before the tender-hearted coda.

The sextet carries on a medium tempo dialogue for Mingus’ Conversation, opening their chat with a bluesy melody in unison led by the front line.  Clarence, Jimmy, and Shafi, back on tenor speak individually for one chorus each, then join forces for a three-instrument talk on the next two verses.  Bill sums up the song and discussion nicely with an effective solo performance preceding the ending. The closer is Charles’ Fifty-First Street Blues named for the street he and Celia lived on at the time.  She gave the song its name and it’s presented with a relaxed beat. Shafi goes to work first with a splendid opening statement, Clarence takes a brassy bite out of the second reading, then Jimmy gives an utterly charming reading exhibiting his rhythmic flexibility very effectively.  Bill eases into the final interpretation as mild as a smooth sherry propelled by the sweet beat of Charles’ bass and Dannie’s drums.

The personnel on East Coasting were all members of The Jazz Workshop at the time it was recorded except for Bill Evans and Clarence Shaw.  This is also the only time I know of that Evans and Mingus appeared together on an LP. Clarence Shaw comes from Detroit and played with Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Wardell Gray, and T-Bone Walker among others.  Jimmy Knepper was born and raised in Los Angeles, he was a significant musician in the orchestras of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and Claude Thornhill, and also played with alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. Shafi Hadi, born Curtis Porter comes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew up in Detroit gaining several years of rhythm and blues experience as an alto saxophonist, before embarking on a jazz career also playing the tenor sax.  Bill Evans joined The Miles Davis Sextet in 1958, appearing on the album Jazz Track and Miles’ timeless classic, Kind of Blue a year later. After leaving Davis, he formed a trio that would become the gold standard for all piano, bass, drums groups that would follow and hailed as one of the greatest ensembles in jazz. Dannie Richmond who I became acquainted with on the 1960 album, Jenkins, Jordan, and Timmons was born in New York and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina.  He began as a rhythm and blues tenor saxophonist but would abandon both the instrument and the music in 1956 to become a jazz drummer. The sound quality of this Mono reissue is breathtaking with crystal clear transparency throughout the highs, midrange, and low end. The remastering by Ray Staff also makes this album, a serious choice to consider auditioning for your library. If you’re a fan of Cool Jazz and Hard-Bop, East Coasting is an excellent and quite intriguing example of both styles by one of the best musicians in jazz, Charles Mingus! 
~ Jazz at Massey Hall (Debut Records DEB-124); Jazz Track (Columbia CL 1268); Jenkins, Jordan, and Timmons (Prestige New Jazz NJLP 8232); Kind of Blue (Columbia CL 1355/CS 8163); Mingus Ah Um (Columbia CL 1370/CS 8171) – Source: Discogs.com 
~ West Coast Ghost, Fifty-First Street Blues, Personnel – Source: Album liner notes by Nat Hentoff
~ Memories of You – Source: JazzStandards.com
~ Remastered by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London
Charles Mingus, Debut Records, Beneath the Underdog – Source: Wikipedia.org

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