Art Blakey and Lee Morgan during Blakey’s The Big Beat session, Englewood Cliffs NJ, March 6 1960 (photo by Francis Wolff)
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Grant Green - Freedom March (1961)
There are almost too many Grant Green records to count, but a handful are truly essential. This is one. Ben Tucker and pianist Kenny Drew, in particular, shine on this cut, whose title celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King’s early 60’s marches to help establish racial equality in America.
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Grant Green - Lazy Afternoon (1965)
Wherever you are, this one’s for you.
Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, owners of Blue Note Records (date and photog unknown)
It is incumbent upon listeners who love Blue Note music to thank these men (and Rudy Van Gelder!) for helping produce the music and imagery we hold so dear. These two gentlemen—along with the many extraordinary musicians who came through their doors—helped set a new standard for American jazz music.
(Source: jazzinphoto.wordpress.com)
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Grant Green - Two For One (1961)
It’s worth noting that the sides Green and Clark recorded in 1961-62—Nigeria, Gooden’s Corner and Oleo, or compiled on The Complete Quartets w/Sonny Clark—were never released while either of them was alive.
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Grant Green - Nancy (With the Laughing Face) (1962)
If I post nothing but Grant Green/Sonny Clark quartet cuts for the next few weeks, don’t hold it against me.
This particular cut went unreleased until this double disc collection came out in the late 90s. It is a testament to the short-lived yet enduring brilliance of their guitar/piano synergy. As always, Art Blakey—alongside bassist Sam Jones—underpins the proceedings with his infectious swinging energy.
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Art Blakey as an enthusiastic side-man:
Grant Green - It Ain’t Necessarily So (1962) from Nigeria
Personnel: Grant Green (g); Sonny Clark (p); Sam Jones (b); Art Blakey (d)
This one goes down in the pantheon of all-time great performances. Turn it up.
Thanks Bent.
(Source: bainer)
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Jackie McLean - Two For One (1962)
Happy late birthday wishes to the legendary Jackie McLean.
This particular session sadly sat on the shelves for 17 years before it was finally issued in Japan in 1979. The presence of my favorite groove merchant, Sonny Clark, in his penultimate appearance for Blue Note before his death—along with label stalwarts Butch Warren and Art Taylor—ensure that the proceedings swing hard, and their bluesy legerdemain is everywhere in evidence. Jackie tackles this particularly complicated composition with his signature relish. He is one of a handful of musicians that you can positively identify in just a note or two.
On an unrelated design note, the difference between the 1979 Japanese Blue Note sleeve art below and the incongruous 1984 American vintage above is, shall we say, stark.
Luckily, the music shines either way.
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McCoy Tyner - Blues On The Corner (1967)
From the Jazz.com review:
Along with Coltrane bandmate Elvin Jones, Tyner and company soar over this extended blues. Joe Henderson pushes the band just as hard as Elvin does, and the results are nothing short of remarkable. This group recorded more and the magic doesn’t stop here, but this album is a must for anyone serious about McCoy Tyner and the extension of the Coltrane sound after 1965.
What a band. What a show.
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Freddie Hubbard - But Beautiful (1960)
From the Hardbop Homepage tribute to Tina Brooks:
“It was Ike Quebec who introduced him to Freddie Hubbard. “Ike Quebec introduced me to Tina at the 845 Club. Ike also introduced me to Alfred Lion. I loved Tina. He had a nice feeling. I got into him before I got into Hank (Mobley). He would write shit out on the spot and it would be beautiful. He wrote “Gypsy Blue” for me on the first record and I loved it. I just loved it. Tina made my first record date wonderful. He wrote and played beautifully. What a soulful, inspiring cat. I loved him.”
Freddie’s session took place on June 19, 1960. And Tina did play beautifully. He also wrote “Open Sesame” and “Gypsy Blue” and arranged “But Beautiful.” Exactly one week later, Tina made his second album True Blue and Freddie Hubbard was the trumpeter. Both albums were released that fall.
Tina Brooks was a shooting star in the jazz night sky who burned out way too soon. Catch him blowing one of the all-time great tenor sax solos on his composition “Street Singer,” which appears on Jackie McLean’s Jackie’s Bag.
