Just to give evidence on how the standards of excellence in jazz have changed…
When these two albums came out, respectively, in 1961 and 1962, Cannonball Adderley’s Know What I Mean and Art Blakey’s Caravan received 3 ½ and 4 stars in their original Downbeat review. Is there anyone listening to these albums today that would give either one anything less than 5 PLUS? How our ears are used to the sounds of the Philistines!
At the time of this release, Adderley was considered the premier alto saxist in jazz, having made his name with Miles Davis as well as leading his own band with brother Nat. Here, he teams up with MJQ members Percy Heath/b and Connie Kay/dr as well as the Chopinesque Bill Evans/p for one of Adderely’s most lyrical and pastoral album.
Oh, the team knows how to swing, as on the buoyant “Toy”, and Adderley and Evans seem inspired by each other. Adderley flexes his chops on a melodic yet firm read of Evans’ “ Waltz For Debbie” and is almost humorous on “Who Cares?”. The team is gorgeously desultory during “Goodbye”, and tender on “Nancy (With The Laughing Face)”. This is what dreams are made of.
Blakey was in the process of forming one of his most muscular Messenger unit after the departure of Lee Morgan, with a lineup that is overwhelming in retrospect. Keeping tenorist Wayne Shorter, Blakey brings together a young Freddie Hubbard/tp, Curtis Fuller/tb, Cedar Walton/p and Reggie Workman/b, all destined for even greater things in the years ahead. As a unit here, the horns sear through a thundering “Caravan” , with Hubbard in gorgeous form on “Skylark” and “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning. Shorter shines on the uptempo “Sweet ‘n’ Sour” and Hubbard breaks the ozone on “Thermo”. The surfeit of riches and rewards here is simply awe inspiring.
This is the kind of music that defines not only a style of music, but a generation of inspiration.