This trio of reissues from UK based Avid Records will get you through the summertime blues.
Pepper Adams was THE hard bop baritone saxist, falling in between the swing of Harry Carney and the cool of Gerry Mulligan. These mid 50 recordings find him in vintage form. A 1956 date with fellow Detroiters Kenny Burrell/g, Tommy Flanagan/p Paul Chambers/b and Kenny Clarke/dr deliver sleek sounds on the snappy “Afternoon In Paris” while Adams fills the room with a romping “Cottontail.” Adams does a quintet with Lee Katzman/tp, Jimmy Rowles/p, Doug Watkins/b and Mel Lewis/dr for some exciting work on “High Step” and a rich “Alone Together.” Another quintet from ’57 displays Adams’ rich sound on “My One and Only Love” and the future long term bluesy bop tam of Adams with Donald Byrd/tp, Bobby Timmons/p, Doug Watkins/b and Elvin Jones/dr ja ms all night on “The Long Two/Four” and “Hastings Street Bounce.” Byrd and Adams were a force to be reckoned with!
When it was hip to be hep, Mose Allison was hep, and these trio sessions from 1958-61 are a beatnick’s delight. His usual bassist at the time was Addison Farmer, but Henry Grimes sat in for the 60 session with Paul Motian for some nice jive on “You’re A Sweetheart” and “Hittin’ One One.” Drummer Ronnie Free hits it right as Allison sounds suave on “The Seventh Son” and plays bop like he means it on “Yardbird Suite.” A session with Jerry Segal on drums has Allison playing on his one “ City Home” as well as a nice bluesy “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” and he sounds wonderfully sardonic on “I told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out” with Nick Stabulas/dr on a ’58 date. Often imitated by today’s posers, but never surpassed.
Wynton Kelly is best remembered as part of the all star rhythm section for Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue and beyond band. This two disc set finds him before and after that legendary gig. In 1951 he’s showing his bebop dna with Oscar Pettiford-Franklin skeete/b and Lee Abrams/dr as they tear through “Cherokee” and romp on “Blue M oon.” With Kenny Burrell/g, Paul Chambers/b and Philly Joe Jones/dr, they deliver a nice and moody “Whisper Not” and do a mazurka on”Dark Eyes” on a hip 1958 date. The Kelly Blue session from 1959 is a bona fide classic, with Nat Adderley/ct, Bobby Jaspar/fl, Benny Golson/ts, paul Chambers/b and Jimmy Cobb/dr. Jasper floats on “Kelly Blue” and Kelly himself glistens on “Green Dolphin Street” and “Softly As A Morning Sunrise. “ What a treat. The session with Chambers, Jones, Cobb and Sam Jones from 60-61 does a glowing “Autumn Leaves” as well as a fun loving “Sassy.” This guy had class, and knew how to pick a rhythm team that chugged like a V8.
Avid Records