Wilbur Harden & John Coltrane • The Complete Savoy Sessions

 

Review by Ken Dryden
Wilbur Harden has been somewhat of a jazz mystery, appearing on a handful of dates and then suddenly disappearing for good after falling ill not long after the 1958 sessions featured on this reissue. After these recordings of Harden's works were issued in various forms on LP, including on some occasions with John Coltrane receiving top or sole billing, all of the music recorded by this overlooked trumpeter and flügelhornist with the legendary tenor saxophonist has finally become available in one complete two-CD set. The always dependable Tommy Flanagan is the pianist on two of the three sessions. Although Harden is a competent player, his compositions aren't particularly memorable, although they are enjoyable; the primary reason people have sought this music is to plug a gap in their John Coltrane collections. Highlights include the loping "Wells Fargo," the exotic "E.F.F.P.H.," and the strutting "Anedac," which substitutes Howard Williams for Flanagan and adds trombonist Curtis Fuller to the mix. The consistently strong playing of John Coltrane is what makes this set worth acquiring.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-savoy-sessions-mw0000247652#review

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Reseña de Ken Dryden
Wilbur Harden ha sido un misterio del jazz, apareciendo en un puñado de fechas y luego desapareciendo repentinamente para siempre después de enfermarse poco después de las sesiones de 1958 presentadas en esta reedición. Después de que estas grabaciones de las obras de Harden se publicaran en varias formas en LP, incluso en algunas ocasiones con John Coltrane recibiendo facturación superior o exclusiva, toda la música grabada por este trompetista y flügelhornista pasado por alto con el legendario saxofonista tenor finalmente está disponible en un conjunto completo de dos CD. El siempre confiable Tommy Flanagan es el pianista en dos de las tres sesiones. Aunque Harden es un intérprete competente, sus composiciones no son particularmente memorables, aunque son agradables; la razón principal por la que la gente ha buscado esta música es para llenar un vacío en sus colecciones de John Coltrane. Los aspectos más destacados incluyen el zumbido "Wells Fargo", el exótico "E. F. F. P. H." y el pavoneo "Anedac", que sustituye a Howard Williams por Flanagan y agrega al trombonista Curtis Fuller a la mezcla. El juego consistentemente fuerte de John Coltrane es lo que hace que valga la pena adquirir este conjunto.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-savoy-sessions-mw0000247652#review

Tracks:
CD1
01. Wells Fargo [Take 1]
02. Wells Fargo [Take 2-Master]
03. West 42nd Street
04. E.F.F.P.H.
05. Snuffy
06. Rhodamagnetics [Take 1]
07. Rhodamagnetics [Take 2-Master]
08. Countdown [Take 1]
09. Countdown [Take 2-Master]
10. Anedac

CD2
01. B.J. [Take 1]
02. B.J. [Take 2]
03. B.J. [Take 3-Master]
04. Once in a While
05. Dial Africa [Take 1]
06. Dial Africa [Take 2-Master]
07. Oomba
08. Gold Coast
09. Tanganyika Strut


Credits:
Wilbur Harden (trumpet, flugelhorn);
John Coltrane (tenor saxophone);
Curtis Fuller (trombone);
Tommy Flanagan, Howard Williams (piano);
Doug Watkins, Ali Jackson (bass);
Louis Hayes, Arthur Taylor (drums).

Recorded on March 13 & June 24, 1958, released September 21, 1999

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