Back in the 1970s, when fusion was the king of the jazz universe, there were still a handful of guys that hung in there and stayed faithful to the traditional legacy of acoustic improvisation. Here, we’ve got two guys who were part of the post-Coltrane revolution of post-bop jazz, but never got the attention or accolades (nor, obviously, album sales or concerts) that they deserved. James Spaulding is still with us, and was around most recently in LA on Freddie Hubbard’s ill fated comeback, with Spaulding keeping the music together with his passionate sax and flute work. John Stubblefield was working with various Mingus reparatory bands before succumbing to cancer a number of years back. Here are two releases from the mid 70s that hold up startlingly well after 2 score years.
James Spaulding is best known, if he’s known at all, for his work on classic 60s Blue Note sessions with Freddie Hubbard and Hank Mobley. On this 1977 tribute to Ellington, he gathers together Cedar Walton/p, Steve Nelson/vibes, sam Jones/b, Billy Higgins/dr, Mtume/perc and vocalist Avery Brooks (for about half the songs). The instrumentals like “A Train” and “Sophisticated Lady” have a timeless sound and soul to them, and Spaulding keeps the music inside with just a couple elbows here and there hitting the walls to break out. Brooks has a deep baritone, not unlike Al Hibbler, and uses it to sonorous effect on “Come Sunday” and the excitingly percussive “Caravan.” This stuff swings!
John Stubblefield’s 1977 session has him with some forward thinking gents like “Cecil Bridgewater/tp-fh, Onaja Allen Gumbs/key, Cecil McBee/b, Joe Chambers/dr and once again Mtume/perc. The music here is vintage hard bop with just a dash of spice and Coltrane influence, not unlike late period Art Blakey. The band thrives on exciting tunes like the volcanic “Song For One” and “Minor Impulse” which feature his yearning and searching tenor. They are able to keep in the pocket and focused, as “If You Only Knew” demonstrates, while “Little Prince” spotlights Stubblefield’s airy soprano and the band’s more fluid and gentle side. There isn’t a misplaced note or vibe throughout this impressively strong release that needs to get to as many ears as possible.
Storyville Records