Here is one of the reasons that labels that specialize in reissues do us such a great service. I have NEVER even heard of this guy James Clay, and who knows what happened to him or where he went, but this disc is a swinging delight. In the mid-50s he came onto the West Coast jazz scene, but not from the cool school, but from the fledging free movement with Ornette Coleman, Billy Higgins and Don Cherry. His only recordings under his own name are essentially here, and he keeps it mainstream with a hard hitting group of rhythm mates that include Bobby Timmons-Sonny Clark-Lorraine Geller/p, Red Mitchell-Jimmy Bond/b and Billy Higgins-Frank Capp-Lawrence Marable-Peter Littman/dr.
Clay has a rich hue to his horn that veers between Wardell Gray and Dexter Gordon. He can really milk a note on ballads such as “In A Sentimental Mood,” “Willow Weep For Me” and “Lover Man,” and can sizzle like a T-Bone steak on the sinister “It’s Alright With Me” and “Scrapple From The Apple.” Mid tempo jaunts like “The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” are a delight the V8 engine of a quartet varooms on ”Cheek to Cheek.” By the time this is over, you’re going to want more of this guy, but this is it. Savor and chew slowly.
Fresh Sound Records