egroj world: Jo Jones • The Jo Jones Special

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Jo Jones • The Jo Jones Special

Review by Ron Wynn
This is a first-rate, swing-influenced set, later combined with a second album into the Essential Jo Jones package on Vogue.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jo-jones-special-mw0000870241

This was the first album the man who plays like the wind did as a leader. On four of the numbers he fronted a septet with Nat Pierce on piano. Soloists Benny Green and Emmett Berry are excellent, but if one hornman especially excels here is tenor Lucky Thompson, one of the most unjustly neglected artists in jazz. On the two magnificently robust takes of Shoe Shine Boy, the guest pianist is Count Basie, thereby reuniting, for the first time in eight years, what was the greatest rhythm section in jazz. On Caravan, there were some changes on the line-up of the septet, but throughout all the sides, the uniting personality is Jo, a master of flowingly musical jazz drumming.
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/jo-jones-albums/4972-the-jo-jones-special.html

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Reseña de Ron Wynn
Se trata de un conjunto de primera clase, con influencias del swing, que más tarde se combinó con un segundo álbum en el paquete Essential Jo Jones de Vogue.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jo-jones-special-mw0000870241

Este fue el primer álbum que el hombre que toca como el viento hizo como líder. En cuatro de los temas, encabeza un septeto con Nat Pierce al piano. Los solistas Benny Green y Emmett Berry son excelentes, pero si hay un trompetista que sobresale especialmente aquí es el tenor Lucky Thompson, uno de los artistas más injustamente olvidados del jazz. En las dos magníficas y robustas tomas de Shoe Shine Boy, el pianista invitado es Count Basie, reuniendo así, por primera vez en ocho años, a la que fue la mejor sección rítmica del jazz. En Caravan, hubo algunos cambios en la formación del septeto, pero en todas las caras, la personalidad unificadora es Jo, un maestro de la batería de jazz fluidamente musical.
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/jo-jones-albums/4972-the-jo-jones-special.html

Tracks:
1 - Shoe Shine Boy (First Take) - 5:53
2 - Lover Man - 6:31
3 - Georgia Mae - 4:48
4 - Caravan - 3:59
5 - Lincoln Heights - 7:47
6 - Embraceable You - 6:42
7 - Shoe Shine Boy (Second Take) - 5:17

Credits:
    Bass – Walter Page
    Clarinet – Rudy Powell (tracks: 4)
    Cover [Photo)] – Eberius Studio
    Drums – Jo Jones
    Guitar – Freddie Green
    Liner Notes – Albert McCarthy
    Photography By – Bert Eberius, Jules Halfant
    Piano – Count Basie (tracks: 1, 7), Nat Pierce (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 6), Pete Johnson (tracks: 4)
    Producer – John Hammond
    Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 7)
    Trombone – Benny Green* (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 7), Lawrence Brown (tracks: 4)
    Trumpet – Emmet Berry*

Track 1 to 3, 5 to 7: Recorded in New York City, August 11,1955
Track 4: Recorded in New York City, August 16,1955
1955 Vanguard Records

Label:    Fnac Music – 662132, Vanguard – 662132
Country:    France
Released:    1992
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Post Bop
https://www.discogs.com/release/12026608-Jo-Jones-The-Jo-Jones-Special