This landmark recording from 1970 followed on the heels of Miles Davis' Bitch's Brew and contained many of the same elements that Miles used in his innovative ventures; jazz moved away from the wah-wah trumpet and ushered in the wah-wah guitar. With a lineup including Mickey Roker on drums, Ron Carter on bass, Duke Pearson on ...

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Article: Album Review

Horace Silver: A Prescription For The Blues

Read "A Prescription For The Blues" reviewed by Douglas Payne

by Douglas Payne
December 1, 1997

With A Prescription For The Blues, 69-year-old pianist Horace Silver proves he's writing and playing as well as -- if not better than -- he did over four decades ago. But mere stamina is no reason to appreciate this terrific remedy of first-rate bop-n-blues. The “hard bop grandpop" has assembled a classy all-star lineup, reuniting with ...

174

Article: Album Review

Donald Byrd: Mustang!

by Douglas Payne
November 1, 1997

Trumpeter Donald Byrd made many worthwhile records during the sixties. Mustang, the first of four terrific Blue Note sessions Byrd made with ill-fated alto sax man Sonny Red between 1966 and 1967, is one of the great ones. Much of the success of this recording is due in no small part to Red's top-drawer participation. Pianist ...

211

Article: Album Review

Grant Green: I Want To Hold Your Hand

by Douglas Payne
November 1, 1997

The title of this March 1965 session doesn't exactly inspire thoughts of collective interplay. And, sure enough, the music within is dreadfully dull. The third of four collaborations between guitarist Grant Green and organist Larry Young, I Want To Hold Your Hand, was also the last Blue Note record the guitarist made until 1969's Carryin' On ...

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Article: Album Review

Lee Morgan: Charisma

Read "Charisma" reviewed by Douglas Payne

by Douglas Payne
November 1, 1997

Lee Morgan recorded a couple dozen records just like this for Blue Note back in the sixties - swinging, soulful sessions that featured catchy, clever real-jazz tunes and interesting players at the top of their game. Perhaps that's why this September 2 9, 1966, session wasn't released on record until 1969. In time and interest, Charisma ...

352

Article: Album Review

Pat Martino: All Sides Now

Read "All Sides Now" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
October 1, 1997

The Blue Note Records debut by guitarist extraordinaire Pat Martino is spotty at best. It is primarily a series of duets and ensemble settings with a wide array of top notch guitarists spanning different genres. This recording was co-produced by jazz/fusion critic Bill Milkowski along with Matt Resnicoff. The feeling here is that Mr. Martino had ...

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Article: Album Review

Dexter Gordon: The Squirrel

by Joel Roberts
September 1, 1997

This never-before-released live recording, taped by Danish radio during an engagement by Gordon and his quartet at Copenhagen's Jazzhaus Montmartre in the summer of 1967, captures the great tenor saxophonist at his most boisterous mid-60s peak. To hear Dexter Gordon live in this period is to hear one of the most powerful instrumentalists in jazz at ...