By David Rickert
On the Town
Oscar Peterson Trio
1958/2001
Oscar Peterson is one of the musicians responsible for bringing jazz to a wider audience, and it's easy to understand why from listening to any of his instantly appealing records. He took the knuckle-busting runs of Art Tatum and wedded them to the delicate approach of Nat King Cole in a series of accomplished trio recordings, most of which are still widely available today. Not much of a pioneer, Peterson was content to play familiar songs at a consistently high level of musicianship. As a result, all Peterson records sound pretty similar, but it's difficult to argue with someone so gifted at making piano playing seem so effortless and inviting. Critics argue that this is because Peterson plays it safe, sticking to familiar songs and creating solos from a warehouse of stock riffs, but that misses the point; Peterson wasn't an innovator like Powell or Monk, but more of a stylist who was a master of various techniques in the jazz idiom.
This live outing (so intimate you can hear glasses clink in the background) was recorded in Peterson's home country of Canada, and features what was arguably Peterson's best trio. Generally a piano-bass-guitar trio leaves too much room to fill, but Peterson is too boisterous to leave any open space and too swinging to really need a drummer in the first place. By the time of this recording the three musicians had developed an almost telepathic rapport which enabled them to flawlessly run through any tune; a daunting task, since Peterson isn't the easiest pianist to keep up with. Reportedly Ellis and Brown spent many practice sessions by themselves working through the changes, anticipating his every possible move. Good thing, since many of these tunes go off at a fearful pace. The live setting no doubt brought out the showman in Peterson, who stitches together elements of gospel, blues, and stride to create dazzling solos with his steady left hand and knuckle-busting right, entertaining at times simply because of brilliant technique. Ellis and Brown are content to provide support from the back, occasionally ducking in to provide a bouncy solo. Everyone seems to be enjoying himself immensely, immersed in the task of creating appealing jazz. While tracks like "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "The Champ" are spirited romps, the trio is also at their peak on the ballads, which display a vast range of dynamics and shades of tonal color. Peterson quiets down to a hush and then slowly builds back up to a dignified crescendo, determined to squeeze every ounce of emotion out of these lovely tunes.
While On the Town may not be Peterson's best recording (Night Train is hard to surpass) those who have never sampled his gifts will find much to admire here. Staunch Peterson fans will find no surprises; this is Oscar Peterson at his most reliable.
Jazz Giant
Bud Powell
1949-51/2001
If Peterson's piano style is like a painter creating a landscape out of swirls and dabs of colorful paint, Bud Powell's approach is more like a sculptor working with a slab of black marble. Powell too is influenced by Tatum, but only as filtered through Monk; whereas Peterson always seemed driven to create perfect renditions of songs, Powell always seemed to be wrestling with personal problems, sawing away at melodies as away of expressing him innermost thoughts. Consider each pianist's approach to "Sweet Georgia Brown"; Peterson's is all about style and finesse; Powell rips through it fiendishly with avalanches of arpeggios and ragged chords, daring your ears to keep up.
Tragically, Powell received a racially motivated beating early on in his career that caused the mental disturbances that kept him in and out of mental hospitals his entire life. Legend has it that in one of these hospitals Powell drew a piano keyboard on the wall with chalk in order to practice away from his instrument. As Powell got older, his condition worsened, and tags like "Genius" and "Amazing" on albums contain a hint of pathos as a result; did we ever truly know what his talents were?
At any rate, Bud Powell has left a commendable recorded legacy behind, most of which is overshadowed by the brilliance of his work for Blue Note. However, he also recorded some very impressive early work for Norman Granz, much of which is equal or surpasses the quality of those historic sessions without the multiple takes (the two sessions on Jazz Giant straddles the Blue Note work, for the most part.) The first session was recorded under slightly dour circumstances; Powell was undergoing treatment at a mental hospital, unable to play live, and was only released during the day for a limited time to record. This undoubtedly left Powell frustrated and as such, an aggressive, almost furious urgency dominates these sessions; it's like watching a pot of water right before it boils over. He barrels through "Tempus Fugit" before you can get a handle on it, and even the ballads seem a little tense and high strung. Still, though, this session percolates with creativity and excitement, as if Powell knew his time in the recording studio (and the outside world) was limited and was anxious to leave an indelible mark.
By the time of the second session, Powell had been released into the care of his mother and was able to record and gig again. He seems more at peace, yet has not lost any of the feistiness and energy that marked the earlier session. Ballads dominate the proceedings, and even titles like "Get Happy" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" suggest that brighter days lay ahead. As with the first session, Powell is blessed with gifted sidemen who seem to fully understand what he's up to. The only drawback to both sessions is that they came from disc pressings that have a significant amount of surface noise; not enough to ruin the listening experience, but enough to be a minor irritation. However, it does cover up the moaning.
Introducing Nat Adderley
Nat Adderley
1955/2001
The Adderley brothers were key players in the birth of hard bop, a style which grew out of the advancements of Bud Powell and other pioneers who formed a sound that many artists took to the bank for years. At this point in time Cannonball had formed his first quintet with Nat as a sideman; facing indifferent recognition, Cannonball went on to join Miles Davis and met with far greater acclaim. The two would later reunite in the second Cannonball Adderley quintet with much greater success; after his stint with Davis, the public was much more receptive to what Cannonball had to say. This album is a bit unusual in that Nat is the leader and Cannonball is the sideman, although since the altoist is such a pervasive influence and all the tunes we co-written by the two, the distinction of who is in charge makes little difference.
The Adderley brothers were always at their best working in the hard bop vein. Although they specialized in different instruments, their styles were remarkably similar; playful and lively, with a generous helping of the blues. They wear their Parker-Gillespie influences on their sleeves, trading off fluttering arpeggios and staccato runs at a rapid fire pace, and obviously prefer sticking to the higher register given their choice of instruments (Nat is one of the few jazz players to specialize in the cornet). Most of the songs here are skillfully designed to exploit the talents of both, although they are interchangeable with hundreds of other hard bop themes from the era. However, they truly seem to be enjoying themselves here, indulging their love of playing jazz.
You would also be hard pressed to find a rhythm section better than the one assembled here; all three were highly regarded sidemen who amongst them have probably appeared on over a third of all sessions recorded during this period. Horace Silver would go on to record greasy soul anthems for the hard bop generation like "Song For My Father"; his sharp attack provides a bed of nails for the horns to blow over. Paul Chambers, who would also later join Miles Davis, excels at providing a solid backing without being overpowering and Roy Haynes provides stuttering drum rattle in the back. At times, though, the merits of the band prove to be a fault; everyone is so skilled that it's easy for them to go to autopilot, content to provide a relatively basic straight ahead session without much risk or innovation.
Judge this album on its own merits and you have a decent record. However, there are hundreds of records out there that with an identical approach and sound and although the playing is tight and skilled, this album fails to rise above the pack in what has proved to be one of the most heavily document periods of jazz. This is a fine session, but lacks a certain distinction that makes it worthy of repeated listening.
Sing A Song of Basie
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross
1957/2001
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross are pioneers of a unique singing style called vocalese, which involves replacing instrumental jazz with sung lines and invented lyrics. The method was first used by artists such as King Pleasure, who with a rhythm section backing him added lyrics to a Charlie Parker solo in a version that Parker hated. Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross took it to the logical next step, which was to duplicate an entire instrumental arrangement for voices; in this case, Count Basie's charts. Their first attempts involved an entire choir and were largely unsuccessful, mainly because Lambert had trouble locating enough singers that could swing the parts. They then decided to do all the parts themselves, using multiple overdubs, building each track from the ground up. This was probably the best way to do it anyway, since doubling and tripling up on parts makes the individual voices blend together well and cuts down on the clutter.
The results are instantly appealing and downright fun; the Basie charts are enjoyable enough as played by the orchestra, but gain a new level of excitement and a different spirit in these vocalized versions. The lyrics are written not only to communicate the feeling of each song, but also for the rhythm and sound of each word. Some clever interplay is created through the back and forth banter of individual voices, harkening back to the original source of call-and-response. The singing is impressive; some of these lines were difficult enough as instrumental solos, but singing them adds another degree of challenge. Hendricks in particular seems to have a knack for tongue-twisting, rapid lines delivered in huge intervals. Annie Ross has an impressive range as well; she can mimic the high register trumpet lines with ease. The smartest move of all was to include Basie veterans in the rhythm section; they keeps things firmly grounded in the spirit of the Basie orchestra and add the right amount of swing and authenticity to ensure a great delivery.
Vocals are always more popular than instrumentals, and it's easy to see why the vocalese movement caught on. Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross' currently available catalog is pretty small (they didn't record much together, anyway) so this is a welcome reissue and an essential purchase for a comprehensive collection of vocal jazz.
Oscar Peterson-On the Town
Tracks: Sweet Georgia Brown, Should I?, When Lights are Low, Easy Listenin' Blues, Pennies From Heaven, The Champ, Moonlight in Vermont, Baby, Baby All the Time, I Like to Recognize the Tune, Joy Spring, Gal in Calico, Love is Here to Stay.
Personnel: Oscar Peterson, piano; Herb Ellis, guitar; Ray Brown, bass.
Bud Powell-Jazz Giant
Tracks: Tempus Fugit, Celia, Cherokee, I'll Keep Loving You, Strictly Confidential, All God's Chillun Got Rhythm, So Sorry Please, Get Happy, Sometimes I'm Happy, Sweet Georgia Brown, Yesterdays, April In Paris, Body and Soul.
Personnel: Bud Powell, piano; Ray Brown, Curly Russell, bass; Max Roach, drums.
Nat Adderley-Introducing Nat Adderley
Tracks: Watermelon, Little Joanie Walks, Two Brothers, I Should Care, Crazy Baby, New Arrivals, Sun Dance, Fort Lauderdale, Friday Nite, Blues For Bohemia.
Personnel: Nat Adderley, cornet; Cannonball Adderley, alto sax; Horace Silver, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Roy Haynes, drums.
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross-Sing A Song of Basie
Tracks: Everyday, It's Sand Man!, Two for the Blues, One O'Clock Jump, Little Pony, Down for the Double, Fiesta in Blue, Down for the Count, Blues Backstage, Avenue C, Four Brothers, Cloudburst, Standin' on the Corner.
Personnel: Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and Annie Ross, vocals; Nat Pierce, piano; Freddie Green, guitar; Eddie Jones, bass; Sonny Payne, drums.
Verve on the web: http://www.vervemusicgroup.com
