The latest collection of reissues from Avid feature artists that play like they invented Hard Bop; hey, wait a minute…THEY DID!
Dextor Gordon was the poster child for the hard bop tenor. These four albums from 1961-62 are all Desert Island Essentials. Doin’ Allright has the big toned guy teamed with Freddie Hubbard/tp, Horace Parlan/p, George Tucker/b 
and Al Harewood/dr and the team sizzles on “Society Red” and the title track. Gordon’s sound on “You’ve Changed” fills the room! Two days later on May 9, 1961, Dexter’s quartet with Kenny Drew/p, Paul Chambers/b and Philly Joe Jones hit hard on “Soul Sister” and “I Want More.” The classic album Go has Gordon with the free wheeling Billy Higgins/dr, Sonny Clark/p and Butch Warren/dr and Gordon is particularly inspired on “Second Balcony Jump” and “Love For Sale” while he creates a sunset of sound on “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears To Dry.” The same team returns to the studio a couple days later, with the Aug 29 1962 recording just as sizzling, as “Soy Califa” and “You Stepped Out of A Dream” are muscular joys. Essential sounds!
Pianist Duke Pearson started his career as a sideman for Charlie Parker, so he’s got the bona fides. These four albums from 1959-62 include two trio sessions with Gene Taylor/b and Lex Humphries/dr that are crisp and lyrical delights. His own pieces “3 A.M.” and “Gate City Blues” display his creative pen, while the team cruises with subtlety and class on “Like Someone In Love” and “I Love You.” He’s a sideman on Donald Byrd’s classic Byrd in Flight 1960 session. Along with Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Doug Watkins-Reggie Workman/b Lex Humphries/dr and Byrd, the team goes exotic on the thrilling “Ghana” and Pearson’s “Gate City. Quite thrilling, while Pearson’s own Hush album from 1962 with Byrd or Johnny Coles is a deft delight on “Child’s Play” and the title track. Pearson’s trio sound is glorious on a haunting “Angel Eyes.” Wondrous!
There’s no bassist that was a harder bopper than the virtuoso Oscar Pettiford. He was there on the very first bebop sessions, with these ones from 1955-57 made during the days of 10” albums. He plays cello along with Mingus’ bass and a clever team including cool toned Phil Urso/ts and Julius Watkins/fh on cerebral yet swinging tunes like “The Pendulum At Falcom’s Lair’ and “Stockholm Sweetinin’” in ’53. Pettiford was busy in the studio the next year, leading a hip sextet that included Max Roach/dr, tal Farlow/g, Al Cohn/ts and Kai Winding/tb for a deft “Burt’s Pad” and a lyrical “Stardust.” A ten piece team including Clark Terry/tp and Jimmy Hamilton/cl deliver a tribute to Duke Ellington with a very hip remake of “Jack The Bear” and a richly textured “Mood Indigo.” In 1955, Pettiford’s Modern Quintet with Duke Jordan/p, Charles Rouse/ts, Julius Watkins/fh and Ron Jefferson/dr create six short but sweet pieces that glide along such as “Sextette” and the clever “Trictasism.” Pettiford leads an “Orchestra” in 1957 that includes Terry, Hamilton and Jimmy Cleveland/tb, and the team glows on “I Rememer Clifford” and “Laura” while getting to the nitty gritty on “Little Niles.” Virtuosity!
Pianist Billy Taylor is better known as an educator, but he cut his teeth on these hip 50s sessions. In 1953 he has a percussive team that includes Machito and they all sizzle on pieces like “I Love T oMambo” and “Candido Mambo” while gliding along “Lullaby of Birdland.” Sessions ranging from 51-57 were all put on one album back in the day, so the team rotates, but includes John Collins/b and Al McKibbon/b for some hip takes of “Wilow Weep For Me” and “The Very Thought of You.” In ’54, Taylor brings his trio of Earl May/b and Percy Brice/dr and adds Candido for percussion on a scintillating “Mambo Inn” and “Bit of Bedlam” while “Love For Sale” percolates with passion. He brings the four flutes of Frank Wess, Herbie Mann, Jerome Richardson and others for a mix and match of feathery treatments of ”Blue Shutters” and “Oh, Lady Be Good.” Clever and tasty.
Avid Group