Rudy Van Gelder. BLUE NOTE PERFECT TAKES. Blue Note

Rudy Van Gelder lifted the art of jazz recording (or any genre for that matter) to a level rarely surpassed. Recording from his New Jersey studio between 1953-1971, Van Gelder recorded virtually all the jazz greats including Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, Sonny Clark, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, and very many more. Van Gelder’s Blue Note recording are immensely powerful and communicate with an unsurpassed level of clarity. The other day I was reviewing some current rock releases and slipped this record in for a bit of a break. The difference in sound quality from what I had been listening to blew me away. Each instrument was distinct, the vibe was tremendously exciting and it was as though my speakers had been cleared of sound-blocking debris.

Last year Blue Note celebrated Van Gelder’s sonic achievements by re-releasing several albums recorded back in the 60’s. That celebration has culminated this year in the release of this wonderful compilation of the great man’s recordings specially re-mastered by him in 2004. In addition a bonus DVD is included featuring interviews, RVG album cover gallery; biographies, discographies, and photos of featured artists; and much more. The music CD features tracks selected by RVG and using the latest 24 bit technology he has re-mastered them for this compilation. And the list of artists and tracks is breathtaking! Opening with the complex but humorous Four In One by Thelonious Monk, the album gets off to a storming start. The full track listing is: Miles Davis – Budo, Hank Mobley – Remember, Freddie Hubbard – Arietis, Kenny Burrell – Midnight Blue, Joe Henderson – Mode For Joe - Donald Byrd – Christo Redentor, Wayne Shorter – Footprints - Art Blakey – Moon River, and Jimmy Smith – See See Rider.

If you’re a modern jazz fan and or an audiophile or both, this album holds more sonic and musical treats that you can poke a stick at. ESSENTIAL.

5/5

UNFORGIVABLE BLACKNESS – THE RISE AND FALL OF JACK JOHNSON. Original Music Score by Wynton Marsalis. Blue Note

Great original jazz movie scores are as rare as hens’ teeth, and so when I received this CD I was more than eager to give it a spin. The movie’s subject matter is tailor-made for a jazz musician, and on this occasion the mercurial Wynton Marsalis was ‘gifted’ the task of matching music with diverse moods. He’s done a supreme job.

The opening track entitled What Have You Done? is one of the finest short pieces of music I’ve heard on film. It clocks in at just one minute fifty-eight seconds and creates a mystical, threatening introduction to the film. There’s huge melody, flashes of the Deep South, a devastating bass line and lyrical brass. Superb. The next track is called Ghost In The House with a plucked bass sounding like someone tip-toeing around. Jack Johnson experienced the full richness and poverty of life at a time when racial hatred was at its peak in the USA. Marsalis captures every experience and mood in a way seldom heard. Jack Johnson Two-Step captures the dance club vibe at the time with assertive drum beats that echo a stripper in the process of unpeeling. But Deep Down uses alto sax to reflect romantic moments, while Love & Hate goes upbeat before diving into a more contemplative mood. And with Careless Love you can just picture Johnson weaving around the dance floor in passionate embrace with some adoring and compliant female. Trouble My Soul is pure blues played mournfully on piano and trombone. And so it goes on to culminate in a very fine movie score that every lover of black music should own.

5/5

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Nina Simone Colpix Albums. Blue Note.

SIMONE AT TOWN HALL

This is my favourite album of the three re-releases from the early Colpix series. Opening with a beautiful interpretation of Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair Simone’s strong emphasis on piano creates a deeply contemplative ambience, while she provides a convincing and glacially-paced vocal performance. The Other Woman is pure romantic ballad where Simone’s voice echoes regret and sadness with total authority. Under The lowest illustrates just how good a jazz pianist the lady was. With a solid bass backdrop, Simone travels the emotional scale and can be heard muttering as she makes a tortuous and emotional musical journey. It’s a formidable performance and the highlight of this wonderful album. It also happens to be the lady’s first live New York Performance, so there’s musical history here as well.

NINA SIMONE NEWPORT

This is a bravado and vibrant live performance by Simone. The recording provides a rawer sound to instruments and voice, and is perhaps more in tune with a live recording. Trouble In Mind opens this 1960 recording dynamically with aggressive vocal and piano notes. The manner of the recording renders it more intimate and especially during the passage of songs like Porgy and the many occasions when Simone talks to the audience. One such example is when she asks for her tambourine for the folk song Little Liza Jane. For those wanting an introduction to an early part of the lady’s career, this is the ideal record.

4/5

THE AMAZING NINA SIMONE

This is the studio segment of the releases. I’ve interviewed many female artists over the years and the one major influence that comes up time and time again is that of Nina Simone. This album covers the spectrum of musical mood covered by Simone and it’s not hard to see why so many have been influenced by her. The album includes four bonus tracks including the song that, arguably, launched her career, I Loves You Porgy, That’s All, Falling In Love Again (Can’t Help It) and The Man With A Horn. Recording quality here is extraordinary and the diversity of material makes this the ideal introduction for those wanting to hear the lady for the first time.

5/5

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Pete La Roca BASRA. Blue Note

Every now and then I receive review material when ‘Who the hell is this?’ is my initial thought. But it’s also not unusual for such records to provide the biggest surprises and to become firm favourites. And this is one of them. I have never heard Pete La Roca’s music which is rather strange since I love great rock and jazz drummers. Playing alongside La Roca are Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Steve Kuhn (piano), and Steve Swallow (bass). Both the original 1965 master and this re-mastered 2004 version were recorded under the masterful stewardship of Rudy Van Gelder. The end result is a thing of wonder that hasn’t been out of my CD player for several days. Sonically it’s one of the finest recordings I’ve ever heard with every nuance and detail of each instrumental performance clarity personified. And what instrumental performances! La Roca’s and Kuhn’s intuitive work is exciting and dynamic, while Henderson almost vocalises the underlying sentiments.

There’s an all-pervading Eastern ambience to the music, although the album kicks off in Latin style with a nine-minute interpretation of Ernesto Lecuona’s Malaguena. Henderson dominates proceedings here with one of the finest lyrical sax displays I’ve heard. In the background, La Roca and Kuhn provide a rumbling, tumbling rhythm section until the middle-eight when Kuhn enters with a stunningly improvised passage of piano playing. It’s plain fabulous but even better is just around the corner! The ten-minute Basra is my highlight and opens with Swallow plucking his bass strings before Kuhn and Henderson join the fray. There’s a strong melody and of course La Roca’s brushed snares forming a solid and threatening backdrop. If you buy just one jazz recording in 2005, make it this beauty.

5/5

Ike Quebec HEAVY SOUL. Blue Note

Another new artist for me is tenor sax player Ike Quebec. This is a re-mastered 1961 Rudy Van Gelder recording featuring Freddie Roach on Hammond, Milt Hinton on bass, and Al Harewood on drums. As the album title suggests, the underlying influence here is soul and there’s a distinct lounge ambience to proceedings. It’s mostly pretty relaxed and free-flowing, but for me it lacks the edginess and excitement of the previous album. Sonically, it’s another winner and if you like Hammond and desire background music to accompany a nice candle-lit evening meal, you’ll love this album. I didn’t.

3/5

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Tina Brooks TRUE BLUE. Blue Note

Imagine an alternative soundtrack to the movie Bullitt or perhaps Ocean’s 11, and you’ll come pretty close to the vibe and sound of this album. Tina Brooks on tenor sax is joined by jazz greats Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Duke Jordan on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Once again maestro Rudy Van Gelder recorded the original tape and this re-mastered version. TRUE BLUE is played largely in upbeat tempo with Hubbard on trumpet playing a pivotal role. Opener Good Old Soul is a breezy, melodic tune with Brooks in fine lyrical fettle and Hubbard’s trumpet never too far away. It’s a beauty with Van Gelder’s recording allowing the background instruments to be heard quite clearly. In addition to the original album tracks there are two further tracks which are alternative takes of the fabulous True Blue (a darker version with heavier emphasis on the bass) and Good Old Soul (a more lyrical, lighter version with stronger emphasis on Jordan’s piano playing). Sonically and musically, this is one great album.

4.5/5

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Johnny Coles LITTLE JOHNNY C. Blue Note

These re-mastered Blue Note recordings reveal the true depth and width of USA jazz talent, and another example of an artist who is unknown to me. Rudy Van Gelder is responsible for both original and re-mastered versions of this 1963 recording that sounds as fresh as tomorrow. Johnny Coles plays trumpet and is joined by modern jazz giants Leo Wright on alto sax and flute, Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass with Walter Perkins and Pete La Roca chipping in on a couple of tracks. The revelations here are Coles’ trumpet playing and Duke Pearson’s song writing skills (all the songs here are composed by him). Upbeat and complex opener Little Johnny C fairly rushes along led by Pearson’s piano, flashing trumpet from Coles before Henderson and Wright take over with bravado alto and tenor sax. But the two stars of this show are definitely Pearson and Coles with the former dominating a number of tracks. Melodies are diverse and strong while tempo is generally around the semi-relaxed, mid-level. Occasionally, a blues vibe appears as in Hobo Jo and the very moving, fragile So Sweet My Little Girl. This is a surprising, diverse and masterful album.

5/5

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers A NIGHT IN TUNISIA. Blue Note

Our March modern jazz review ends with my pick of this month’s fantastic releases from the Blue Note stable. The formidable line-up here includes Blakey in blazing form on drums and percussion, Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Bobby Timmons immaculate on piano, and Jymie Merritt in spectacular form on bass. If you’re looking for jazz to inspire and excite, then look no further. Opener A Night In Tunisia is a song written by Dizzy Gillespie and I’ve yet to hear a version more vibrant and explosive than this one. There’s real conviction and commitment in the playing with some of the most assertive drumming I’ve ever heard from Blakey, or anyone else for that matter. This classic eleven-minute track will take your breath away.

Wayne Shorter dominates the next track which was also written by him. Sincerely Diana races along with a great spell of trumpet and piano around the middle-eight. It’s a melodic, optimistic piece with a last quarter salvo from Blakey who sounds like he’s hammering out the most aggressive snare drum call-to-arms. The pace slackens off a tad for a Timmons composition, So Tired. It’s a more relaxing, fluid track and welcome respite from the two previous incendiary songs. But it’s also an opportunity for Morgan to show his talent on trumpet, and it’s a fabulous performance. The pace slows a little more with Lee Morgan’s mellow composition Yama. Gently swaying, bluesy piano and trumpet performances complete a stunning package.

A Blakey barrage opens Kozo’s Waltz before sax and piano take over on another Lee Morgan composition. Around the middle-eight Morgan enters with a fabulous spell of trumpet and opens the way for Timmons to impress on piano, before Blakey returns with a stunning, rapid-fire drum passage. This album is an enthusiastic team effort with masterful writing and playing from all participants. In my view it has to be one of the classic modern jazz albums, and represents essential listening.

5/5