General rule of thumb: if there’s a historical musical find by Zev Feldman, rush out and order it, as it’s an undiscovered gold nugget. This latest from Reel to Reel recordings (why not from Resonance?) features soulful jazz vocalist Etta Jones (not to be confused with Etta James) in a swinging set at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, MD back in February 27, 1972.
Jones had sung way back when with Ellingtonian Barney Bigard, and in the 70s even toured with Art Blakey, so she knew her way around a backbeat. Her 1960 album Don’t Go to Strangers is a classic, but during the late 60s to early 70s she was without a label, which makes this well recorded gig with Cedar Walton’s trio with Sam Jones/b and Billy Higgins/dr (!) all the more important.
Walton and company open the set with a glorious take of “Theme From Love Story,” and you almost wish that you’d just hear the trio, as the music sparkles. But Jones rises to the occasion, with sweetly swinging pieces like “Sunday” and “Exactly Like You.” She’s clear and erudite with a rich vibrato on a luminous “If You Could See Me Now” and richly desultory for “You Better Go Now.” She has a mix of the boldness of Dinah Washington and the pathos of Billie Holiday on material such as “Don’t Go To Strangers” and can get down and gritty on “Blow Top Blues.” Higgins is deft on the brushes like Fred Astaire and sleek with the cymbals, and Walton is in full fisted glory.
The album includes a 28 page booklet with pictures, liner notes and interviews with Houston Person, Catherine Russell and John Fowler. Don’t let this sneak by; it is a humdinger!