egroj world: Booker Ervin • Structuraly Sound

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Booker Ervin • Structuraly Sound

Review
by Matt Collar

Mixing the dusky romanticism of Dexter Gordon and the progressive tonal ideology of John Coltrane, Booker Ervin is often filed under "A" for amalgam alongside other overlooked tenor masters such as Tina Brooks and Hank Mobley. Structurally Sound is perhaps not Ervin's most provocative album, but a solid and tasty endeavor featuring the suspended chord sounds popularized by McCoy Tyner during the late '60s. Here, the chords come via the brilliant pianist John Hicks, who opens the album with funky high-end triplet figures on Randy Weston's "Berkshire Blues." Joining in is a well-selected roster of musicians, many of whom were also overshadowed by their more well-known contemporaries, including Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Red Mitchell on bass, and Lenny McBrowne on drums. Tolliver contributes the original composition "Franess," a Wayne Shorter-influenced affair that features his fat and burnished tone. They also cover Oliver Nelson's blissful standard "Stolen Moments" to good effect. Originally ending with an athletic up-tempo version of "Take the 'A' Train," the Blue Note Connoisseur Series reissue includes a sparkling "Shiny Stockings," featuring an especially inspired chorus by Ervin. An oddball version of "White Christmas" also makes it onto the disc, as do alternate takes of "Franess" and "Deep Night."

https://www.allmusic.com/album/structurally-sound-mw0000623994

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Reseña
por Matt Collar

Mezclando el romanticismo sombrío de Dexter Gordon y la ideología tonal progresiva de John Coltrane, Booker Ervin es a menudo archivado en la "A" de amalgama junto a otros maestros del tenor pasados por alto como Tina Brooks y Hank Mobley. Structurally Sound no es quizás el álbum más provocativo de Ervin, pero es un esfuerzo sólido y sabroso que presenta los sonidos de acordes suspendidos popularizados por McCoy Tyner a finales de los 60. Aquí, los acordes vienen a través del brillante pianista John Hicks, que abre el álbum con figuras de tresillos de alta gama en "Berkshire Blues" de Randy Weston. Se une una lista bien seleccionada de músicos, muchos de los cuales también fueron eclipsados por sus contemporáneos más conocidos, incluyendo a Charles Tolliver en la trompeta, Red Mitchell en el bajo y Lenny McBrowne en la batería. Tolliver contribuye con la composición original "Franess", un asunto influenciado por Wayne Shorter que presenta su tono gordo y bruñido. También cubren el dichoso estándar de Oliver Nelson "Stolen Moments" con buen efecto. La reedición de la Blue Note Connoisseur Series finaliza con una atlética versión de "Take the 'A' Train", pero incluye una chispeante "Shiny Stockings", con unos coros especialmente inspirados de Ervin. Una extraña versión de "White Christmas" también aparece en el disco, así como tomas alternativas de "Franess" y "Deep Night".

https://www.allmusic.com/album/structurally-sound-mw0000623994

Tracks:
1 - Berkshire Blues 5:30
2 - Dancing In The Dark 4:58
3 - Stolen Moments 4:59
4 - Franess 5:08
5 - Boo's Blues 5:33
6 - You're My Everything 4:46
7 - Deep Night 4:58
8 - Take The A Train 3:43
9 - Shiny Stockings 4:48
10 - White Christmas 4:27
11 - Franess (Alt Tk) 5:13
12 - Deep Night (Alt Tk) 7:15

Credits:
    Art Direction [Original] – Woody Woodward
    Bass – Red Mitchell
    Design [Original] – Gabor Halmos
    Design [Reissue] – Patrick Roques
    Drums – Lenny McBrowne
    Engineer [Recording] – Dino Lappas
    Photography By – Fred Seligo
    Photography By [Tray Card Photograph] – Francis Wolff
    Piano – John Hicks
    Producer [Original Sessions] – Richard Bock
    Reissue Producer – Michael Cuscuna
    Remix, Mastered By [Using 24-bit Mapping] – Ron McMaster
    Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin
    Trumpet – Charles Tolliver

Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios, Los Angeles on December 14 (#5, 6, 9), December 15 (#1, 4, 8, 11) and December 16 (#2, 3, 7, 10, 12), 1966.

#1-8 previously issued as Pacific Jazz ST 20119. #9-12 previously unissued bonus tracks.

Label: Blue Note – 7243 5 27545 2 6
Series: Blue Note Connoisseur Series
Genre: Jazz
Style: Hard Bop
https://www.discogs.com/release/1075760-Booker-Ervin-Structurally-Sound