Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jeff Hackworth: Soul To Go!
Jeff Hackworth: Soul To Go!
ByAmong the veteran musiciansall leaders in their own rightof his vibrant quartet, is legendary guitarist Ed Cherry best known for his long association with the Dizzy Gillespie bands whoalong with fellow band mate, Hammond B3 specialist Radam Schwartzmake immediate impressions on the opening salvo and title piece "Soul To Go!. Arthur Prysock and David "Fathead" Newman drummer Vince Ector, anchors the rhythm section delivering a pounding beat when required and a light brushes on obvious balladic tracks like the beautiful "Autumn Nocturne" and others. The Ellington/Troup classic "The Feeling of Jazz" gets a relaxed humble read from the band yet, offers plenty of solo space for Hackworth and others.
Sounding a tad like the master himself, the saxophonist delivers a superb Coltrane-like performance on a fresh new arrangement of Trane's "Wise One," followed by a spicy saxophone-led blues rumble on the original "Blues In A Few," which happens to showcase appreciable solo support from every member of the group. Featuring the tender side of Hackworth's tenor saxophone voice, the music turns soft and gentle on a delicious rendition of the Rogers and Hart standard "Little Girl Blue," then, with strong highlights from Cherry, slides into a bit more upbeat texture on the original, "Live and Learn."
Providing some of his best solo sparks of the disc, Hackworth winds down the music with the burning Billy Strayhorn tribute, "Under A Strayhorn Sky" and comes to a swinging finale in a muscular reprisal of the old Larry Russell/Inez James/Buddy Pepper song "Vaya Con Dios" sounding much livelier than when first recorded by the late Anita O'Day in 1952, making this one of the definite highlights of the album. Hackworth states ..."my fifth album as a leader and I think It's my best yet," while obviously not an objective statement by any measure, delivered from a body of tender swinging sounds, Soul To Go! captures an exciting command performance from which, drawing such a conclusion, is certainly understandable.
Track Listing
Soul To Go!; Autumn Nocturne; The Feeling of Jazz; Wise One; Blues In a Few; Little Girl Blue; Live and Learn; Under A Strayhorn Sky; Vaya Con Dios.
Personnel
Jeff Hackworth
saxophone, tenorJeff Hackworth: tenor Saxophone; Ed Cherry: guitar; Radam Schwartz: Hammond B3 organ; Vince Ector: drums.
Album information
Title: Soul To Go! | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Big Bridge Music
Comments
About Jeff Hackworth
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar To