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Ahmad Jamal: Nature: The Essence Part III
by Douglas Payne
As pianist Ahmad Jamal points out in his own notes to Nature, he's recorded prolifically outside the trios for which he has become known (check out, for example, his new one on Roesch with the Assai Quartet). But what makes Nature even more unusual is Jamal's addition of steel drums. Don't look for a set of ...
Nat Adderley: Talkin' About You
by Douglas Payne
Seems like coronetist Nat Adderley (born 1931) has been around forever. But no one really started listening to him in his own right him until the unfortunate early death of his older brother in 1975. It's a true shame. Because there is ample evidence of this guy's gifts on many Cannonball records (1959-1975) and, surprisingly, nearly ...
Chuck Rainey: The Chuck Rainey Coalition
by Douglas Payne
Here's a tight set of funky soul-jazz grooves served up hot by electric bassist and studio kingpin Chuck Rainey (born 1940). First released on the Skye label in 1968, it's the first of only three discs (I think) the bassist released under his own name during a long career that's included playing with Aretha Franklin, Marvin ...
Russell Gunn: Young Gunn Plus
by Douglas Payne
This solid and engaging mainstream debut was first issued on Muse Records in 1995 when trumpeter Russell Gunn was 24 years old. That disc didn't attract much attention and Gunn went on to work with Wynton ( Blood on the Fields ) and Brandford Marsalis ( Buckshot LeFonque ) then followed up his debut with last ...
Eddie Harris: Greater Than The Sum Of His Parts
by Douglas Payne
Chicago tenor man Eddie Harris (1934-1996) already had nearly a dozen albums and one huge hit single ("Exodus") to his credit when he signed to Atlantic Records in 1965. Over the following 12 years, Atlantic released more than 20 Eddie Harris records. Some of these were innovative (1967's The Electrifying Eddie Harris and 1974's Is It ...
Jimmy Ponder: Steel City Soul
by Douglas Payne
Despite sterling work over the last three decades with such luminaries as Johnny Hodges, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy McGriff and Stanley Turrentine and a baker's dozen albums on his own since 1973, talented Pittsburgh-based guitarist Jimmy Ponder has yet to receive his due. The guitarist clearly recalls Wes Montgomery because he too plays the guitar with his ...
Allen Toussaint: Connected
by Douglas Payne
Connected offers a generous program (62 minutes) of some of the best, most soulful pop that's been heard in the last twenty years. Such style must seem old-fashioned now. No samples, no contrived rhythms, no phony raps and hardly any concessions to contemporary popular music. Stuff this good hasn't been heard since the late 70s when ...
Les McCann: Talkin' Verve: Les McCann
by Douglas Payne
Perhaps as good as any compilation can get, Les McCann: Talkin' Verve hardly lives up to its acid-jazz premise or its subject's real talents. Still, it does rescue some of the lost music pianist/vocalist Les McCann made over six albums for the Limelight label between 1964 and 1967. Seems the folks at Verve were going for ...
The Greg Hatza ORGANization: Snake Eyes
by Douglas Payne
Here's a nice soul-jazz date from Baltimore-based organist Greg Hatza that will happily take many back to the smoke filled clubs when organ combos ruled the scene. Some may remember the two nifty trio dates Hatza recorded for Coral in 1967 with guitarist Eric Gale and Grady Tate. If DJs ever happen upon these, they're sure ...
Lalo Schifrin: Metamorphosis: Jazz Meets The Symphony #4
by Douglas Payne
Composer/pianist Lalo Schifrin endures as an interesting film music composer for, among other things, his ability to enhance or create effective moods. For this, the fourth in his “jazz meets the symphony" series, Schifrin concocts perhaps his most moody affair yet and, perhaps, the nicest of the bunch since the second set on Atlantic (1993). Again ...
