|
|||
CONCORD/RIVERSIDE/KEEPNEWS COLLECTION
COLEMAN HAWKINS/The Hawk Flies High: Perhaps unjustly considered Hawkins’ comeback record because he was being overlooked for a few years, this set finds the 51 year old (over 50 years ago) working out with some young lions and showing them how to set the pace. A sweet honker of a sax date, the aging well and the crisp remastering really make this one of those dates that sounds new all over again. Whether jazzbo or hipster, if you don’t own this already, you really are missing out on a killer tenor date.
SONNY ROLLINS/ Freedom Suite: An interesting set of tensions in Rollins work. He kicks it of by pairing the group down to a trio and working out on Max Roach’s “Freedom Suite” showing that he was getting in on the civil rights movement. Then he rounds things out with standards, and this reissue offers some extra takes on the standards. Foreshadowing his wild west playing that really polarized his audience, this is where the skronk honk was finding it’s footing for pretenders to later pick up on. A dazzling work if you’re up for the challenge.
NAT ADDERLEY/Work Song: What can you say about one of the cornerstones of the modern jazz lexicon except that it sounds even better with modern remastering? A lot of these old dates that get this kind of spiffing up really let you finally hear what was going on in the players heads as well as in the studio with practically new music to your ears that your ratty old stereo was never able to dig out of the grooves on the lps. A fine, funky date with the crème of the young lions roaring their way though this date, here’s a look at where classics come from.
WES MONTGOMERY/Incredible Jazz Guitar: This is at least the 4th remaster of this classic in recent times and it still seems like there’s thumb picking to be pulled out of these tracks that you never heard before. Arguably the set that solidified his legend, this is Montgomery kicking it out sure fingered in a jazzy tour de force that remains unforgettable nearly 50 years later. Perennially a winning set.
McCOY TYNER/Fly With the Wind: Maybe it’s me, but I always thought this record was ahead of it’s time as it showed Tyner making the transition from Coltrane to fusion and doing it in such a way that it didn’t seem like he was jumping on a band wagon just to give his career extra legs. With a backing crew that all came from jazz but clearly from different, influential corners, it’s still fresh today and is finally finding it’s own time to be comfortable in. Certainly a high water mark for fusion fans, Miles fans and progressive music fans that really, really, like to ride the tip.
Volume 31/Number 224
June 11, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI