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The Jaki Byard Quartet with Joe Farrell: The Last From Lennie's
by David Rickert
If anyone wanted to record a history of jazz piano, it could have been done by Jaki Byard, an incredibly versatile pianist who could play virtually any style. However, Byard was too cagey to have approached a project of that magnitude, preferring to meld his influences within the space of a single composition. Utilizing a method ...
Richard "Groove" Holmes: On Basie's Bandstand
by David Rickert
Soul jazz was never in short supply during the mid to late sixties, occupying slots in juke boxes next to Aretha Franklin and James Brown and filling clubs such as Count Basie’s lounge in Harlem. On many a night these small and noisy joints were excellent places to catch master organists such as Richard “Groove” Holmes ...
Blossom Dearie: My Gentleman Friend
by David Rickert
Let’s be clear about one thing from the start. This is more of a pop album than a jazz album, and anyone who buys My Gentleman Friend for the presence of any of the other musicians involved – especially Kenny Burrell – will probably be disappointed. Those who have encountered Blossom Dearie on any of her ...
Ella Fitzgerald: Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers
by David Rickert
Ella’s Songbook series was so popular both critically and commercially that it cast a very long shadow over her other fine work for Norman Granz and Verve. Slowly these sessions are beginning to see the light of day, and Sings Songs for Sweet Swingers is one such example of Ella at her best. It’s difficult to ...
Mel Torme: Torme
by David Rickert
“That Old Feeling,” the first track on Torme’s 1958 self-titled album, is a lively tune tinged with sadness – he’s happy to see his old lover, but he recognizes that he won’t fall in love again until he gets over her, which isn’t likely to happen anytime soon. On the next track, it’s a lonely Sunday ...
Vocal Goodies II: Classic Singers
by David Rickert
Mel Torme Torme Verve 1958 “That Old Feeling , the first track on Torme's self titled album, is a lively tune tinged with sadness ï" he's happy to see his old lover, but he recognizes that he won't fall in love again until he gets over her, which isn't likely ...
Gerry Mulligan/Thelonious Monk: Mulligan Meets Monk
by David Rickert
Mulligan Meets Monk captures one of the most improbable encounters in jazz, one artist the standard bearer for the conservative cool school, the other a peddler of a more liberal style of jazz. Both were mavericks in their own way, and there’s an interesting symmetry in their approaches: Mulligan exploring the freedom available without a piano, ...
Billy Taylor: Billy Taylor Trio with Earl May/Percy Brice
by David Rickert
Billy Taylor has lurked behind the scenes for years, never quite achieving the fame he deserved, and his legacy will probably rest largely on his efforts as an educator to bring jazz to a wider audience. That is a shame, because Taylor was quite a accessible pianist and his extensive catalog remains largely out of print. ...
Wes Montgomery: Boss Guitar
by David Rickert
Wes Montgomery’s first recordings as a leader for Riverside featured the popular organ-guitar-drums line-up, a configuration that he later abandoned for the better part of his stint with the label. Although organ jazz was quite a cash cow at the time, Montgomery was firmly rooted in bop, more eager to see what he could do with ...
Willis Jackson with Jack McDuff: Together Again!
by David Rickert
Organ jazz from the late fifties and early sixties had a tendency to be predictable, yet it still provided a template for churning out catchy tunes, many of which became hit singles. Once again Fantasy has mined its seemingly inexhaustible supply of the stuff for this record, which once again pairs a couple of previous releases ...
