Roy Haynes Quartet • Out Of The Afternoon

 

Roy Haynes ...

Jimmy Witherspoon • Singin' The Blues

Review by Scott Yanow:
Jimmy Witherspoon is heard in superior form throughout the two Pacific Jazz sessions included here. With fine backup and short solos from either Harry "Sweets" Edison (in top form) or Gerald Wilson on trumpet, both Teddy Edwards and Jimmy Allen on tenors, Henry McDode or Hampton Hawes on piano, rhythm guitarist Herman Mitchell, bassist Jimmy Hamilton and drummer Jimmy Miller, Spoon digs into such numbers as "When I've Been Drinkin'," "Then the Lights Go Out," "There's Good Rockin' Tonight" and a remake of his big hit "'Tain't Nobody's Business." The closing "Midnight Blues" is an instrumental, giving the band a chance to stretch out a bit. Recommended.

///////

Reseña de Scott Yanow:
Jimmy Witherspoon se escucha en forma superior en las dos sesiones de Pacific Jazz incluidas aquí. Con finos respaldos y cortos solos de Harry "Sweets" Edison (en plena forma) o Gerald Wilson en trompeta, ambos Teddy Edwards y Jimmy Allen en tenores, Henry McDode o Hampton Hawes en piano, el guitarrista rítmico Herman Mitchell, el bajista Jimmy Hamilton y el baterista Jimmy Miller, Spoon profundiza en números como "When I've Been Drinkin'", "Then the Lights Go Out", "There's Good Rockin' Tonight" y un remake de su gran éxito "Tain't Nobody's Business". " El cierre de "Midnight Blues" es un instrumental, dando a la banda la oportunidad de estirarse un poco. Recomendado.
 

 

 

Sérgio Mendes & Bossa Rio • Você Ainda Não Ouviu Nada!

 

https://sergiomendesmusic.com/

Pee Wee Russell With Buck Clayton • Swingin' With Pee Wee

During the last dozen years of his life before passing away in 1969, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell recorded and performed in a variety of surprisingly modern settings. It was not that Russell was not modern himself, for his eccentric style had long been quite distinctive, but he had previously been content to mostly play in freewheeling Dixieland bands. His encounters with valve trombonist Marshall Brown (who provided him with an advanced repertoire and arrangements) and a 1963 Newport Jazz Festival appearance with Thelonious Monk found Russell stretching himself. The two albums that are reissued in full on this 1999 CD are not quite as adventurous, being essentially small-group swing, which was still a bit ahead of Eddie Condon's bands. Russell and trumpeter Buck Clayton make for a perfectly compatible team on the 1960 date, a relaxed and swinging quintet session with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Osie Johnson. The other set has basic arrangements from pianist Nat Pierce, quiet support from bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Karl Kiffe, and Russell is joined by three of his favorite horn players (trumpeter Ruby Braff, trombonist Vic Dickenson, and tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman). One can fully understand why the clarinetist was quite pleased with both of these albums. His playing is much more consistent and comfortable on the mid-tempo material than usual and he mostly gets to avoid the overly hyper Dixieland warhorses. A gem.

Scott Yanow

https://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-with-pee-wee-mw0000666899

///////

Durante los últimos doce años de su vida antes de morir en 1969, el clarinetista Pee Wee Russell grabó y actuó en una variedad de escenarios sorprendentemente modernos. No es que Russell no fuera moderno, ya que su estilo excéntrico era muy distintivo, pero antes se contentaba con tocar en bandas de Dixieland. Sus encuentros con el trombonista de válvula Marshall Brown (que le proporcionó un repertorio y unos arreglos avanzados) y una aparición en el Festival de Jazz de Newport en 1963 con Thelonious Monk, encontraron a Russell estirado. Los dos álbumes que se reeditan íntegramente en este CD de 1999 no son tan aventureros, ya que se trata esencialmente de un swing de grupo pequeño, que todavía estaba un poco por delante de las bandas de Eddie Condon. Russell y el trompetista Buck Clayton forman un equipo perfectamente compatible en la fecha de 1960, una relajada y movida sesión de quinteto con el pianista Tommy Flanagan, el bajista Wendell Marshall y el baterista Osie Johnson. El otro conjunto tiene arreglos básicos del pianista Nat Pierce, el apoyo tranquilo del bajista Tommy Potter y el baterista Karl Kiffe, y Russell está acompañado por tres de sus trompetistas favoritos (la trompetista Ruby Braff, el trombonista Vic Dickenson, y el saxofonista tenor Bud Freeman). Uno puede entender completamente por qué el clarinetista estaba bastante satisfecho con estos dos álbumes. Su forma de tocar es mucho más consistente y cómoda en el material de medio tiempo que lo usual y sobre todo evita los caballos de guerra demasiado hiperactivos de Dixieland. Una joya.

Scott Yanow

https://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-with-pee-wee-mw0000666899