Requisites

Coltrane ~ John Coltrane | By Eddie Carter

As someone who has enjoyed John Coltrane’s music for years, I’ve revisited this morning’s album from the library countless times, and each time I listen, it reveals something fresh and exciting. Coltrane (Prestige PRLP 7105) is the first chapter in a body of work that continues to challenge, inspire, and uplift listeners. John Coltrane’s path to his debut album was anything but easy. He grappled with addiction and periods of self-doubt, which eventually led to his dismissal from Miles Davis’s quintet. After returning to Philadelphia to end his addiction, John overcame his dependencies and embarked on a profound spiritual journey, allowing him to discover his singular musical voice and ultimately his first Prestige recording session.

Joining the tenor saxophonist are Johnnie Splawn on trumpet (tracks: A1, B1 to B3), Sahib Shihab on baritone sax (A1, B1, B3), Red Garland (A1 to A3), and Mal Waldron (B1 to B3) on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Albert “Tootie” Heath on drums. My copy of this album is the 2023 Analogue Productions mono audiophile reissue, sharing the original catalog number. “Bakai” by Cal Massey opens the first side, unveiling the ensemble’s relaxing melody. Red initiates the solos with a gentle and lyrical touch, as smooth as a calm sea. John’s following statement is grounded in a steady, unwavering rhythm of harmonic exploration. Sahib then steps in with an exquisite statement that nearly steals the show, leading back to the sextet’s theme restatement and ending.

Violets For Your Furs is a charming ballad from the 1940s by Tom Adair and Matt Dennis, which Red brings to life with a tender introduction to Coltrane’s lyrical sensitivity in the quartet’s theme, and a softer, more romantic side in the opening solo. Garland comes in next for a thoughtful, reflective reading until Coltrane gracefully reenters for the theme’s elegant climax. “Time Was” by Gabriel Luna de la Fuente, Paz Miguel Prado, and Bob Russell moves the beat upward for the quartet to give a lively melody. John leads off the solos with an abundance of passion, then Red continues soaring with joyful exuberance in the second reading. Paul has the last word and takes a short walk ahead of the theme’s return and finish.

Straight Street by John Coltrane gets the second side off to a good start. This song announces the spiritual dimension that would become central to his later albums. The sextet returns to full voice for a swinging melody with Mal taking over the piano duties. Coltrane gets right to work and wails on the opening statement. Splawn steps in next, firing on all cylinders, then Waldron takes the final spotlight preceding the group’s return for a vivacious exit. The pace slows down again for the album’s second 1940s ballad, “While My Lady Sleeps,” by Gus Kahn and Bronislaw Kaper. The ensemble presents a splendid study in soulful improvisation, with John paving the way through the melody into an affectionately intimate reading that ends as beautiful as it began.

Chronic Blues by John Coltrane opens with the sextet easing into the theme at a laid-back, comfortable tempo. Shihab launches the opening solo with rhythmic grace and effortless flow. Coltrane next delivers a smooth and inviting swing, as warm and familiar as a favorite homemade dish. Splawn’s turn brings a light and airy touch, infusing the piece with an appealing charm. Waldron closes things out with a breezy reading that leaves the sextet’s finale deeply satisfying. Bob Weinstock supervised the initial session, and Rudy Van Gelder was behind the recording dials. Kevin Gray mastered this audiophile reissue at Cohearant Audio. The album’s sound quality is spectacular, with a gorgeous soundstage that places the musicians directly in front of your sweet spot.

The record was pressed on 180-gram audiophile vinyl and offers an absolutely silent background until the music unfolds. Upon its release, “Coltrane” was met with excitement from jazz lovers and critics alike, though it didn’t propel John Coltrane to instant fame. That recognition would eventually arrive with “Giant Steps,” “My Favorite Things,” and “A Love Supreme.” Still, his debut firmly established Coltrane as a bandleader, composer, and innovator. It also marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey, where he would push the boundaries of jazz, explore spiritual themes, and redefine musical expression. If you haven’t experienced “Coltrane” yet, I highly recommend searching for it on your next record store visit. It’s an outstanding album by John Coltrane that provides a calming, immersive listening experience, gently enveloping you in its soothing melodies from the very first note!

A Love Supreme (Impulse A-77/AS-77), Giant Steps (Atlantic 1311/SD 1311), My Favorite Things (Atlantic 1361/SD

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Roy Willox was born into a musical family in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England on August 31,1929. At 16 he had a brief spell with Johnny Claes in 1945 and then with other bands before joining Ted Heath from 1950 to 1955.

About this time he worked in the jazz clubs in a group with Keith Christie, and with Jack Parnell followed with extensive freelance work in television, radio and the theatre. The jazz scene saw Willox in Harry South’s band during the 1960s and 1970s and returned to the Heath band for dates in the 1960s and 1970s.

He was in demand through the 1960s for many jazz big band dates, notably with Harry South and Tubby Hayes. He played throughout the 1990s and 2000s, first with The Ted Heath Band, (then led by Don Lusher), and in Lusher’s own big band until it’s last concert in 2007. He played in the Ted Heath band’s farewell concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 2000.

A fluent saxophonist, clarinetist and flutist Roy Willox, whose main instrument is alto saxophone, continues to perform and record.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

John Douglas Surman was born August 30, 1944 in Tavistock, Devon, England. He initially gained recognition playing baritone saxophone in the Mike Westbrook Band in the mid-1960s, and was soon heard regularly playing soprano saxophone and bass clarinet as well.

His first playing issued on a record was with the Peter Lemer Quintet in 1966. After further recordings and performances with jazz bandleaders Westbrook and Graham Collier and blues-rock musician Alexis Korner, he made the first record under his own name in 1968.

In 1969, he founded The Trio along with two expatriate American musicians, bassist Barre Phillips and drummer Stu Martin. In the mid-1970s, he founded one of the earliest all-saxophone jazz groups, S.O.S., along with alto saxophonist Mike Osborne and tenor saxophonist Alan Skidmore.

During this early period, he also recorded with (among others) saxophonist Ronnie Scott, guitarist John McLaughlin, bandleader Michael Gibbs, trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff, and pianist Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath.

In 1972 he had begun experimenting with synthesizers. The musical relationships he established during the Seventies with pianist John Taylor, bassist Chris Laurence, and drummer John Marshall; singer Karin Krog and drummer/pianist Jack DeJohnette continued for decades.

Since the 1990s, he has composed several suites of music that feature his playing in unusual contexts, and has worked with bassist Miroslav Vitouš, bandleader Gil Evans, pianist Paul Bley and Vigleik Storaas, saxophonist and composer John Warren, guitarists Terje Rypdal and John Abercrombie and trumpeter Tomasz Stańko.

Baritone and soprano saxophonist, clarinetist, synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, who continues to often use themes from folk music has also composed and performed music for dance performances and film soundtracks.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Andrew Lamb was born on August 26, 1958 in Clinton, North Carolina and raised in Chicago, Illinois and South Jamaica, Queens, New York. Having studied with AACM charter member Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, he came into New York City’s avant-garde community during the 1970s, becoming an active presence in the Bedford-Stuyvesant arts world and winning a Brooklyn Arts Council grant.

1994 saw him leading a session for Delmark, composing all the pieces on Portrait in the Mist, which featured vibraphonist Warren Smith, bassist Wilber Morris, and drummer Andrei Strobert. Lamb has since recorded duets with Warren Smith, and made a trio recording with Eugene Cooper and Andrei Strobert.

In 2003 released Pilgrimage on CIMP with Tom Abbs and Andrei Strobert, and with his group The Moving Formas released Year of the Endless Moment. As a leader he has recorded five albums beginning with 1994’s Portrait In The Mist, with his latest The Casbah Of Love in 2018 on Birdwatcher Records

Saxophonist and flautist Andrew Lamb, who leads his own ensembles and has been a part of Alan Silva as well as Cecil Taylor’s big bands, continues to perform and record.

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Resquisites

Blowing In From Chicago ~ Cliff Jordan & John Gilmore | By Eddie Carter

As a youngster discovering this music, I was always captivated by jazz’s unique and spontaneous nature, particularly the ‘blowing session’ or ‘jam session.’ These impromptu performances, where musicians control the flow of musical ideas from moment to moment, are a testament to the music’s excitement and unpredictability. Whether in a live setting at a club, concert, or jazz festival or captured in a studio session, jazz’s enthusiasm, vitality, and freedom are always present.

This morning’s choice from my library is an excellent LP from 1957 by two tenor saxophonists who made significant impressions in jazz, Clifford Jordan and John Gilmore. Their only album as co-leaders is titled Blowing In From Chicago (Blue Note BLP 1549), which signifies their roots in the vibrant jazz scene of Chicago. The quintet has an excellent rhythm section consisting of Horace Silver on piano, Curly Russell on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. My copy is the 1983 Pathé Marconi-EMI French Mono reissue, sharing the original catalog number. Before I proceed, let me state that this is not a DMM (Digital Metal Mastering) pressing.

The album opener, Status Quo, is a lively tune by John Neely, with both horns leading the charge through the uptempo melody. John rips into the opening solo, aggressively slicing through each verse like a sharp blade. Clifford joins him next in a short exchange, then takes off with a supercharged reading. Horace shifts into high gear on the third statement with a blazing swiftness that’s equally inspired and scintillating. Art engages in a brief conversation with both horns, then brings the solos to a close with an electric performance illustrating his incomparable artistry before the ensemble returns to the theme and quick stop. The first of two originals by Jordan follows.

Bo-Till slows the tempo to a laid-back pace with a Latin flavor. After a short introduction by the trio, the quintet states the theme collectively, stepping aside for Jordan, who makes a profound impression with a beautifully conceived statement displaying a great tone throughout. Silver gets into the groove next with an incredible, smooth reading, one of his best on the album. Gilmore delivers the closing choruses of the song proficiently with meticulous execution. Blakey constructs a concise comment during the ensemble’s end theme and close.

Blue Lights by Gigi Gryce is a catchy tune that opens with the quintet laying down a gorgeous medium beat on the theme and gives everyone a solo opportunity. John steps into the spotlight with a spirited performance. Horace follows with notes of undeniable pleasure in one of his most robust solos. Clifford weaves his way through the next musical improvisation with astounding skill. Curly puts together a condensed reading that walks for one chorus with solid bass lines. Art breezes into a straightforward interpretation that culminates into a splendid summation of the first side.

The second side gets underway with Charlie Parker’s Billie’s Bounce, which gives everyone except Russell a lengthy solo canvas on which to work. Blakey begins with a high-voltage introduction that sets the pace for the following fiery quintet theme. Clifford packs a mighty punch on the opening statement with a fire-breathing showcase, preceding John, who exhibits a robust attack on the subsequent interpretation with extremely hot choruses. Horace takes over next for a scintillating performance, taking his piano on a sizzling uptempo ride. Both horns exchange a few riffs with Art before the drummer gives an unaccompanied propulsive exhibition into the ending theme.

Clifford’s second original is a blues titled Evil Eye, which eases the throttle back from the previous burner to a medium pace with a collective melody by the quintet. Jordan opens the solos with a series of choruses that are smooth and well-structured. In the following presentation, Gilmore shows that he can also interpret blues with plenty of soul, which develops nicely. Silver delivers a lightly swinging performance that expresses pleasure as he moves masterfully through each chorus. Both horns return to share a few more thoughts. Blakey makes a short statement preceding the theme’s reprise and finish.

The album’s final track is Everywhere, a mid-tempo original by Horace Silver, which I believe made its debut on this album. It opens with a simple opening melody by the ensemble in unison, and the solo order is Gilmore, Jordan, Silver, and Blakey. John takes the stage first with a bewitchingly delightful opening statement. Clifford makes his case with a captivating contribution that moves sprightly alongside the rhythm section’s groundwork drive. Horace takes over next, communicating his points well with a pronounced beat. Art puts the joyous exclamation point on the song and album with a compelling statement that leads the group back to the ending theme and close.

Clifford Jordan recorded three albums for Blue Note; the other two LPs are Cliff Jordan and Cliff Craft. He played and recorded with many elite jazz musicians, including Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Clifford also enjoyed success recording as a leader and sideman, and in my opinion, his discography is well worth investigating. He remained in demand over the next three decades and toured worldwide. His final album was a 1992 live recording at Condon’s in New York City for Milestone, where he performed with his big band, Down Through The Years. He lost his battle against lung cancer on March 27, 1993, at age sixty-one.

Blowing In From Chicago was the first of three appearances on Blue Note by John Gilmore. The other two were as a sideman on two of Andrew Hill’s LPs, Andrew and Compulsion. He began playing the clarinet at fourteen, then pursued a musical career after a four-year stint in the United States Air Force, where he took up and played the tenor saxophone. He began a forty-year term with Sun Ra in 1953 and recorded for various labels with his group, Sun Ra Arkestra. During this time, Gilmore also toured with The Jazz Messengers and recorded with Paul Bley, Andrew Hill, Pete LaRoca, McCoy Tyner, and Dizzy Reece. After Sun Ra’s death on May 30, 1993, Gilmore led the Arkestra for two years before his death from emphysema on August 20, 1995, at age sixty-three.

As for the music on Blowing In From Chicago, it’s fantastic, as are the solos on each track, and the sound quality of this reissue is exemplary. The instruments deliver an excellent soundstage throughout the treble, midrange, and bass that places your sweet spot in the studio with the musicians. It’s a cut above the average debut album and a title I recommend as a terrific addition to any jazzophile’s library, particularly if you’re a hard-bop fan or love a good “blowing session” or “jam session.”

~ Andrew (Blue Note BLP 4203/BST 84203), Cliff Jordan (Blue Note BLP 1565), Cliff Craft (Blue Note BLP 1582/BST 81582), Compulsion (Blue Note BLP 4217/BST 84217), Down Through The Years (Milestone MCD-9197-2) – Source: Discogs.com

~ Billie’s Bounce – Source: JazzStandards.com

~ John Gilmore, Andrew Hill, Clifford Jordan – Source: Wikipedia.org

© 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter

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