Pepper Adams - Reflectory

Pepper Adams - Reflectory

1. Reflectory
2. Sophisticated lady
3. Etude Diabolique
4. Claudette's Way
5. I Carry Your Heart
6. That's All

Pepper Adams - baritone sax
Roland Hanna - piano.
George Mraz - bass
Billy Hart - drums


recorded at CI recording, NYC - 6/14/78
Produced by Mitch Farber

Muse MR 5182

The Cannonball Adderley Quintet and Orchestra

After I ripped this lp, I went searching for a cover image. Lo-and behold I turned up rips on two of my favorite watering holes, Orgy In Rhythm and My Jazz World.

Damn - foiled again!!

I see its been about a year and a half between posts so I guess it might be time again to offer this overlooked lp. This is ripped from my vinyl and not ganked from either of those sitesl.

This lp was too far out for me when I bought it, and even back then my small record collection was more esoteric than most. But it survived the fire 0f '78 and that alone made it an institution of my collection.

But was it a good record? I'm sure I dragged out it occasionally over the years but probably at bad times. Those times late at night fueled by er... uhmm.. lets move on shall we?

Turn clock forward 30 years...I'm amazed and happy that this still resides in the colection.

Cannonball Adderley Quintet and Orchestra

1. Experience in E
2. Tensity
3. Dialogues For Jazz and Orchestra

CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUINTET AND ORCHESTRA:
Nat Adderley - cornet
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley - alto sax
Joe Zawinul - electric piano
Walter Booker - bass
Roy McCurdy - drums

with Orchestra arranged & conducted by Bill Fischer:

Trumpet - Freddie Hill, Paul Hubinon
Trombone - Dick Leith, Dick Hyde
French Horn - David Duke, Art Maebe
Saxaphones - Gene Cipriano, Jackie Kelso
Flute, clarinet, piccolo - Bill Green
Flute, piccolo - Jim Horn
Oboe - Ernie Watts, Jerry Kasper
Bassoon - Don Christlieb
Arco Bass - Ray Brown
Mallets - Gary Coleman
Percussion - John Arnold

Violins - James Getzoff, Bill Hymanson, Ralph Schaefer, Bill Henderson, Assa Drori, Stanley Plummer, Gerald Vinci, Henry Roth, Israel Baker, Marvin Limonick, Paul Shure, Lou Raderman.

Violas - Joe Reilich, Milton Thomas, Allan Harshman, Myron Sandler, Sam Boghossian, Gary Nuttycombe

Cellos - Edgar Lustgarden, Raphael Kramer, Armand Kaproff, Jeffrey Solow
Bass - Morty Corb, Bob West, Al McKibbon, Max Bennett

Session #18574 - Capitol Tower - LA, May 20, 1970
74567 'Experience in E' Cap.ST-484
74568: no information (poss. not used).

Nat Adderley (c) , Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (as), Joe Zawinul (p), Walter Booker (b), Roy McCurdy (dm) with Orchestra arr. & cond. by Bill Fischer (similar to previous session).
Arr. by Lalo Schifrin-1.
Session #18575 - Capitol Tower - LA, May 21, 1970


This review courtesy of Orgy In Rhythm.

Cannonball Adderley Quintet & Orchestra features three songs, each penned by different authors. Joe Zawinul wrote 'Experience In E', 'Tensity' is by David Axelrod and Lalo Schifrin was responsible for 'Dialogues For Jazz Quintet and Orchestra'.

'Experience In E' and 'Dialogues For Jazz Quintet' gravitate back and forth between Free Jazz and heavily orchestrated Bop. There’s a nice middle part in the former, and a short bass and drum part in the latter that could be looped. 'Tensity' is the best of the three as it has a strong backbeat to a Soul-Jazz melody. It’s been sampled several times as well.


Capitol ST-8-.484

Thank you also OIR for all the lp info!!

Dizzy Gillespie's Big 4

Hide the kids, cover the bird, put the dog out. You're going to have to turn this lp up. Rest assured Dizzy is going to wail. Not like he did 25 years earlier, but the man can entertain.

I can only believe that when these guys first met, Diz referenced Sonny Rollins' lp The Bridge. Not a tribute nor an imitation of that lp, Diz used the same line up and came up with a record that felt the same way.

This record never received the acclaim of The Bridge. I doubt if that was it's aspiration. A smoking session that is so over looked it is criminal.

One of my favorite covers, this shot from the recording session. You see the fun, you can only imagine the fire.

As with all these Pablo records, who've thunk it?

Dizzy Gillespie's Big 4

1. Tanga
2. Hurry Home
3. Russian Lullaby
4. BeBop (Dizzy's Fingers)
5. Birk's Works
6. September Song
7. Jitterbug Waltz

Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet
Ray Brown - bass
Joe Pass - guitar
Mickey Roker - drums

produced by Norman Granz
recorded 09/19/74

Pablo 2310 719

Zoot Sims and Jimmy Rowles

Another of those understated Pablo records. Granz' ability to match artists was beyond reknown at this point, yet he still managed to come up with new and interesting combinations.

Here we get two fellows who had reached some critical fame earlier in their careers but somehow never managed to capture the public eye. Both remained understated and under appreciated all their lives.

This may have been the session where it dawned on me that some of these records were worth having. I was enthralled with Stan Getz' records and had recently discovered Peacocks with him and Rowles. I had never heard Rowles before but was suitably impressed. I didn't realize that later I would find Zoot Sims far more interesting than Stan Getz. I bought the record, I dug it and I filed it away.

Somewhat later when I was digging Zoot's special brand of cool, I pulled this out. Today I do not see it as anything groundbreaking like I might have back then, but I do know it's importance in my jazz education. And it's still a swell record.

And Neil Hefti's Legs has got to be one of the greatest examples of an evergreen that I know.

Zoot Sims meets Jimmy Rowles
If I'm Lucky

1. (I Wonder) Where Our Love Has Gone
2. Legs
3. If I'm Lucky
4. Shadow Waltz
5. You're My Everything
6. It's All Right With Me
7. Gypsy Sweetheat
8. I Hear A Rhapsody

Zoot Sims - tenor sax
Jimmy Rowles - piano
George Mraz - bass
Mousie Alexander - drums

produced by Norman Granz
recorded 27 and 28 October 1977 Pablo 2310 803

Sun Ra - Sound Of Joy

I love Sun Ra sessions. His sidemen are not well known outside their own circle, which may seem damning praise. It's not meant to be. I have never found a Sun Ra record that does not bring about a smile.

Like Duke and Mingus, Ra was a leader who knew exactly what he wanted, and knew just who he needed to coax into that perfect little solo.


This is a rather straight forward session from 1968 that never feels trite. I'm thinking this is just as Sun was trying to make the leap from local Chicago notoriety to a larger stage.

Once again, a nice vinyl rip.

Sun Ra and The Arkestra
Sound Of Joy

1. El Is A Sound Of Joy
2. Overtones Of China
3. Two Tones
4. Paradise
5. Planet Earth
6. Ankh
7. Saturn
8. Reflections In Blue
9. El Viktor

Art Hoyle, Dave Young - trumpets
John Avant - trombone
Pat Patrick - alto and baritone sax
John Gilmore - tenor sax
Charles Davis - baritone sax
Sun Ra - electric and acoustic piano
Victor Sproles - bass
William Cochran - drums
Jim Herndon - tympani, timbali

Delmark DS-414

Basie and Zoot

When I was younger I spent many an hour digging through crates looking for Black Lion releases. Those were the shit. Even though a lot of these same artists were appearing on these Pablo releases, I just thought they would not be cool.

Jazz was not cool back then. At least not what I perceived as current jazz. I was lost - and generally stoned most of the time. I thought these Pablo records would sound kinda..well I thought I would be bored. Youth has a way of screwing you. I remember these records in cut out bins for .99. Bet I coulda zoned out just fine.

Damn shame. These are some very fine sessions. I'm gonna put a few up and I'm hoping you'll find something you like. All from vinyl...

We'll start here...

Basie and Zoot

1. I Never Knew
2. It's Only A Paper Moon
3. Blues for Nat Cole
4. Captain Bligh
5. Honeysuckle Rose
6. Harday
7. Mean To Me
8. I Surrender, Dear

Count Basie - piano and organ
Zoot Sims - tenor sax
John Heard - bass
Louis Bellson - drums

produced by Norman Granz
NYC, April 9, 1975

Pablo 2310-745

Lee Morgan - Take Twelve

I first heard of Lee Morgan through his tune Rumproller or something, whatever his other big "hit" was. I was never terribly impressed although his skills were not lacking. But while reading a book on Hard Bop I was convinced to check out his solo on Caribbean Fire Dance by Joe Henderson. Holy shit!!!

Subsequently I started looking for Morgan lps. I never found anything to match the spark of that solo but I did find some decent records.

The recording I present here is once again from my vinyl copy but that is not exactly the same cover. Mine is blue, credited only to Lee Morgan (not Quintet) and is not an OJC reissue. But it is a reissue which brings me to why I would post it in the first place.

My reissue is a 1981 Prestige release. The original was released on Jazzland in 1962. I bought my copy sometime in the early 90's. As I was looking for records to post, a task becoming increasingly difficult and was listening to this, it occurred to me...my vinyl copy of this record is 27 years old. Or 8 years older than the record it was intended to replace.

I know I will never own an original copy of this lp. There is no point at my age and lifestyle. My reissue copy will never be worth squat. Yet somehow I feel a deep satisfaction in being able to listen to an almost 30 year lp. So in keeping with my original intention of this blog, here is my copy...warts and all.

Take Twelve

1. Raggedy Ann
2. A Waltz For fran
3. Lee-sure Time
4. Little Spain
5. Take Twelve
6. Second's Best

Lee Morgan - trumpet
Clifford Jordan - tenor sax

Barry Harris - piano
Bob Cranshaw - bass
Louis Hayes - drums

MPP-2510

Anita O'Day - 1945 recordings

These 1945 recordings are from a disc curiously titled "The Complete Recordings 1949~1950" Hmmmm.

When Anita O'Day was at her swingin'est, no one could touch her. Personal opinion of course. Sadly there are only 9 songs here, which are credited as a "bonus session". The first 4 tracks appear to be her 1st date as leader, and were recorded in LA, 1.18.45.


She joins the King Cole Trio at a transcription date (LA 2.10.45) for the last 5 tracks. The liner notes point out that this is the only time she was recorded without a drummer. It is also pointed out that, except for Penthouse Serenade, these remain the only versions of these songs she ever recorded.

A short set but wholly worthwhile.

The rest of the disc is OK but with an odd assortment of country songs, novelty songs and standards. And I should attach them here as well sometime.

1. Them There Eyes
2. Memories Of You
3. How Come?
4. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
5. Ain't Misbehavin'
6. Penthouse Serenade
7. Lonesome Road
8. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
9. Rosetta

Baldwin Street - BJH-302

Henry Threadgill - I Know The Number

I have to admit that even though I was familiar with the name Henry Threadgill, I had no idea what sort of music he played. I even, for some reason, incorrectly assumed he played the guitar. Not being a huge fan of jazz guitar, this may have been part of the reason for my ignorance of such a great musician.
Having said that I approached reviewing this record with some trepidation. I quickly realized my fears were completely unfounded.
The lp starts off with Bermuda Blues, a loping bass/percussion rhythm that quickly turns funky with the addition of a dual horn onslaught that has the group trading choruses in a matter of seconds. From there the track just turns funkier. The horn solos are full of fire, while the bottom line never veers from its stunning rolling accompaniment. This is the way to reel someone in on a new recording. The rest of the lp ranges from the sublime and beautiful (Silver and Gold, Paille Street), to decent boppish fare (Good Times) to selections that seem to be on the verge of crashing into cacophony before being herded back in line (To Be Announced, Theme from Thomas Cole).
Perhaps it is the unusual line up, trumpet, trombone, cello and multiple percussionists, plus Threadgill's multi-instrumental additions that keeps this thing so interesting. Perhaps it is the quality of songwriting and arranging, also credited to Threadgill. Whatever it is, this has quickly become a favorite at Chez Hook.
Post review research has shown that Threadgill comes from the AACM collective, which I don't find surprising in retrospect. It is also an outstanding example of why I have been exploring this pathway so much more so in recent years.

Henry Threadgill Sextett - You Know The Number

1. Bermuda Blues
2. Silver and Gold baby, Silver and Gold
3. Theme from Thomas Cole
4. Good Times
5. To Be Announced
6. Paille Street
7. Those Who Eat Cookies

Henry Threadgill -bass flute, alto and tenorsaxophone
Rasul Sadik -trumpet
Frank Lacy -trombone
Diedre Murray -cello Fred Hopkins -bass
Pheeroan Aklaff -percussion (left channel)
Reggie Nicholson -percussion (right channel)

1987 Novus/RCA 3013-2N

In all fairness, it should be stated that I asked and accepted CIA's offer to review a record and this is what I was sent. Without that great blog, I probably never would have stumbled across this record. That is where the original review was posted.

Some post review thoughts -
a.) Obviously Rab was more familiar with my taste than even I was, as this record quickly became a favorite and took several weeks to review for fear of overly gushing on about it.
b.) While research has shown this is often cited as Threadgill's most accessible lp, I intend to delve further into the man's

Billy Bang - Vietnam records

A pair of records tonight.

Billy Bang's virtuosity and ability to bring the violin into the modern jazz canon is unrivaled. His adaptability to various idioms is well documented, especially his work with Kahil el Zabar's Ritual Trio. Perfect recordings and highly recommended.
These two recordings, made 3 years apart are surely the pinnacle of his career.
Somehow after spending time in the jungles of Vietnam during the infamous Tet Offensive, he still managed to walk away with an interest in the native sounds. Whether that happened then or it was something he dug into later, I'm not sure but all of us benefit from these incredible lps.
The themes and titles are irreverent at times, and the music itself often digs deep into the local sounds burying them in modern jazz, but the feeling of SE Asia is there for those that want to listen.

Billy Bang - Vietnam the aftermath

1. Yo! Ho Chi Mihn is in the House
2. Moments for the KIAMIA
3. Tunnel Rat (Flashlight and a .45)
4. TET Offensive
6. Bien Hoa Blues
7. Mystery of the Mekong
8. Fire in the Hole
9. Saigon Phunk

Billy Bang - violin
Frank Lowe - tenor sax
Sonny Fortune - flute
John Hicks - piano
Curtis Lundy - bass
Ron Brown - percussion
Michael Carvin - drums

Justin Time records just 165-2 2001

Billy Bang - Vietnam Reflections

1. Reflections
2. Ru Con
3. Lock and Load
4. Ly Ngua O
5. Doi Moi
6. Reconciliation 1
7. Waltz of the Water Puppets
8. Trong Com
9. Reconciliation 2

Billy Bang - violin

James Spauling - alto sax & flute
Henry Threadgill - flute
Ted Daniel - trumpet
John Hicks - piano
Curtis Lundy - bass
Michael Carvin - drums
Ron Brown - percussion
Co Boi Nguyen - vocalist
Nihan Thanh Ngo - dan tranh

Justin Time records just 212-2 2005