Has a star been put on Hollywood Boulevard yet for Zev Feldman?
Three discoveries by the detective/producer have resulted in essential “historic” recordings by some of the most important names in jazz, all caught at the peak of there game. Where to begin? Flip a coin..
Bill Evans is found in (mostly) August, 1964 with his team of Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker in a pair of recordings, one for Danish Radio and the other for TV. Evans is in Chopinesque form with his working team of bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker, on the cusp of his Trio ’65 album. The two shows are almost identical, with two takes of “My Foolish Heart”, How My Heart Sings”, “Sweet and Lovely” and “Five” with a tender and fluid “Waltz For Debby” added on to the radio program. The thrill here is seeing how (except for the concise “Five”) Evans and company take variances on the solos, pace and interlocutions. Israels stretches out on the second “Sweet and Lovely” and Evens digs in deeply on “How My Heart Sings”, as well as getting down and bluesy on “Five”. An add-on from 1969 has Evans with Eddie Gomez/b and Marty Morell/dr giving a bluesy shade of pale on a shadowy “’Round Midnight”. Please, sir, may I have some more?
Unlike Evans, who has had a surfeit of undiscovered material given the light of day by Feldman, this three disc compilation of Les McCann is the debut of hopefully more to come. The first two discs have McCann in exciting form at Seattle’s Penthouse jazz club. The first one is a collection of January and February 1966 gigs with Stanley Gilbert/b, Paul Humphrey-Tony Bazley/dr, and McCann delivers some patented gospel grooves on “The Shampoo” and “Out in the Outhouse”. His bop chops are in soulful form as he careens through “Blue ‘n’ Boogie” and sears through “A Night In Tunisia”. His classy and glassy touch is Waterford Crystal clear on “The Grabber” and “This Could Be The Start of Something Big.
A 1967 gig at the Village Vanguard with LeRoy Vinnegar/b and Frank Severino/dr has him delving into some modern pop tunes, like an elegant reading of “Sunny” and a sauntering read of “Goin’ Out Of My Head”. He’s still got the Baptist beat for a creative read of “Love For Sale” and gets gritty for “Blues 5”. A one off from 1963 with McCann’s trio doing a sizzling “(Back Home Again In ) Indiana” make you hope there’s more of that stuff around. WHEW!
I’m sure that there isn’t a jazz guitar fan that doesn’t own or at least hasn’t heard Wes Montgomery’s classic 1965 album Smokin’ At The Half Note with Wynton Kelly/p, Jimmy Cobb/dr and Paul Chambers/b. What Resonance Records has done is uncovered two more discs of not just that classic quartet, but a whole slew of other gigs that same year, with Montgomery having a residency of sorts there with a rotating mix of bassists.
The “classic” team has Cobb riding the ride cymbal on an exotic “Cariba” and Wes waxing eloquence on “Laura” for a September gig. In November, Ron Carter sits in for a peppy “Mi Cosa” and swaying “No Blues”. Wes is in a burning mood on a bopping “B irks’ Works” and simmering ”Four On Six” with Larry Ridley that same month, and Herman Wright sits in the last month of November for a fragrant “I Remember You.” Kelly is in bopping form on some stretched out takes of “Cherokee”, a second “Four On Six” and Latinized “Star Eyes”. The sound quality on the first disc is first rate, while the last sessions are good to very good. There isn’t a nano-second of notes that is not essential to your ears, and I’m trying to figure out how I thought I was happy with my life before discovering these recordings.