Curtis Fuller: Down Home

Curtis Fuller (trombone)

Down Home (Capri Records; 2012)

Keith Oxman (sax)

Al Hood (trumpet)

Ken Walker (bass)

Todd Reid (drums)

Chip Stephens (piano)

Curtis Fuller returns in a very joyous mood on his new release, Down Home. And he does feel right in place. His last few recordings have dealt with the loss, pain and celebration of his late wife; Down Home shows the resilience and continued brilliance of a musician still at the top of his profession.

Leading off with the joyous title track, Fuller shows an exuberance that is really electrifying. A jumping hard bop number that sees the horn section trading off moments of affability and substance. Oxman and Hood, both of whom have performed with Fuller on his last few records are perfect executioners of Fuller's compositions.

"Sadness And Soul" allows Stephens to step into the lead with lovely agility and grace. Fuller's performance is passionate and resounding throughout. It's a late night piece that works beautifully. "The High Priest" rips along with a cutting edge from Fuller showing strength and superb quality. The sextet is on fire here. Each member rattles off a pattern of notes in quick succession that you really feel the energy and enthusiasm that the session obviously had. 

Down Home is another excellent chapter in a story of a living legend that continues to grow with each note. Curtis Fuller shows in 10 tracks why he is revered by younger musicians (trombone or otherwise). He is the best. And Down Home is a document every jazz fan has to have. Highly Recommended.

Curtis Fuller: The Story Of Cathy & Me

Curtis Fuller (trombone)

The Story Of Cathy & Me (Challenge Records; 2011)

The last few years have been filled with adversity for the great trombonist, Curtis Fuller. But, he has poured that pressure into an exhilarating mixture of music inspired by love, honour and devotion. The main source of that inspiration has been his beloved wife, Cathy, who passed away a few years ago. 

As with I Will Tell Her (Capri; 2010), his latest,  The Story Of Cathy & Me (Challenge Records) is devoted to the life of his esteemed spouse. It's a story carried out over three phases of their life together. How they met. Their life together and with children. And finally how his life has been affected without her.

The personality and journey of both these devoted lovers is announced and carried through over the course of the next hour by both the delicate compositions as well as four interludes in which Fuller describes particular events and emotions of their relationship. The opening, "Little Dreams" seems appropriate, with light yet playful melody accentuated by Nick Rosen on piano and Lester Walker's trumpet. But the drive and most effective force is of course Fuller, who adds some juicy and very characteristic passages midway through. "I Asked And She Said Yes" with a Latin tinge is bouncy but pulls into a hard bop vibe with some strong punches from Fuller and Lester Walker on trumpet.

The journey continues on "Look What I Got" a midtempo piece with another slightly Latin feel thanks to Akeem Marable on percussion. But that's only a light touch. It's the performance by the entire ensemble that really transforms this piece into something more than just a midtempo love theme. There are some solid and touching notes delivered by the horn section along with Fuller's direction and ability to make the trumpet feel like multiple instruments at once. That's not say the work of Daniel Bauerkemper (sax) and Lester Walker goes unnoticed. By contrast, its an added element brings out the best in their leader.

"Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year" closes out the album on the music standpoint. It's a somber piece mainly led by the effective keys of Kenny Banks Jr. with Fuller, and the horns and texture just underneath. Brandy Brewer injects some beautiful notes on bass making this an even more tearful conclusion to the journey of Curtis and Cathy. "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year" is a still picture with passionate lyrics from Fuller and a lovely way to say so long for now.

The Story Of Cathy & Me is simply an excellent testament to marriage, life and journey of two lovers. But it is also a beautiful document of one's continuing struggle to fight through adversity and loss. It still brings out the best of one of the remaining living giants of jazz. Excellent stuff and highly recommended.

David Gibson: The End Of The Tunnel

David Gibson (trombone)

The End Of The Tunnel (Posi-Tone Records; 2011)

Julius Tolentino (sax)

Jared Gold (organ)

Quincy Davis (drums)

Getting praise from the great (and one of my favourites), Curtis Fuller, is one thing. Backing it up is another. David Gibson has been able to do that for quite some time. With five albums under his belt as leader, his latest, The End Of The Tunnel is yet another fine effort that solidifies his status as one of the most dynamic (along with Steve Davis) on the scene today.

Unlike Davis, Gibson tends to move back and forth through jazz, soul and R&B. I think this versatility gives Gibson alot room to experiment. On The End Of The Tunnel, Gibson utilizes the same quartet as his previous soul-jazz effort, A Little Somethin'. Both albums reflect a new direction for Gibson. His previous efforts, while still containing elements of funk, were grounded in the hard bop of his influences (Curtis Fuller and Slide Hampton). This time out the funk flies further as evident on the swirling "Wasabi" in which the quartet take rampage on the sound, creating a smooth and infectious dancefloor groove. Jared Gold's playing here has all the hallmarks of a Jimmy Smith or Jimmy McGriff session. The gospel/blues tinge of "Sunday Morning" where Gold and Gibson share interweave perfectly, giving the number a real Southern American quality to it.

Gibson is a dynamic player and the passion of his compositions can be felt further on ballad "A Place Of Our Own." While thematic in nature, it still manages to give the listener a feeling of introspection. Gibson continues the gospel element on the Jared Gold penned number "Preachin'" which has a real New Orleans vibe to it and travels lightly. This quartet have only been playing together for a few years but the chemistry over two albums is amazing. Gibson has created material which truly matches and challenges each member's talents. The End Of The Tunnel is bright, fresh and full revolving performances. A funky record based in some of the best soul-jazz of the 60s and 70s, but still presents an exciting twist for the listener. With The End Of The Tunnel, David Gibson has found an intoxicating formula and a smokin' quartet to deliver it.

Jazz On Sunday: Miles Davis

Miles Davis (trumpet; b. 1926 - d. 1991)
The Columbia Years 1955-1985 (Columbia/Legacy)

So this is a short entry today. I had been thinking as we head into the holiday season and people start thinking about gifts to give others---why not think about what you want. You deserve it. Right? RIGHT!

An album I've been listening to a lot lately is Miles Davis: The Columbia Years 1955 - 1985. This four disc boxed set usually gets lost in the discussion of Miles' boxed sets and other multitudes of Miles Davis collections. The reason being, because all of the most recent boxed sets have been extremely focused on particular periods or styles of the great legend's music (e.g. Bitches Brew, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, Silent Way, etc.).

There has also been a very nicely curated The Essential Miles Davis (Legacy Recordings), a 2 disc set, that covers the most significant moments spanning his entire career with the labels OJC, Prestige, Fontana, Columbia and Warner Bros. While this is a perfect gift for any Miles newcomer or all around jazz newcomer, I think The Columbia Years still deserves a place on someone's shelves this year. If not as a gift, be stingy and get it for yourself.

The Columbia Years represents the best of Miles material and is pretty comprehensive in what was chosen for the set. You get one of the earliest tracks, "Generique" from a little known label Jazz Track (which also served as the soundtrack for French film Elevator To The Scaffold). The iconic "So What" from the best jazz album in history Kind Of Blue to "Flies Of Kilimanjaro," "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down," to "What It Is" from one of the later albums Decoy.

This definitely is a set covering an extensive amount of Miles material during his most prolific period and may be too much for some newcomers, but I think you may also be able to find this boxed set pretty cheaply now due to the aforementioned boxes being available now.

The Columbia Years boxed set is divided into five sections over four discs: 1) Blues based material. 2) Standards. 3) Miles' original material. 4) Mood or atmospherics and lastly 5) Electric Fusion.

The other significance of The Columbia Years was that this was the very first ever boxed set of Miles Davis material. It was released on vinyl, cassette (yes cassette) and CD. At this point in 1988 there were absolutely no boxed sets out for jazz artists so this was a big deal.

I, for some nostalgic reason, always gravitate to this box when I have company over or when I just want a nice long dose of Miles for a Sunday afternoon. So if you are thinking of being a greedy little pig this holiday season let me recommend Miles Davis: The Columbia Years 1955-1985 as something well worth your schilling. Enjoy...

Phil Ranelin

Phil Ranelin (trombone; b. 1939)
Sounds From The Village: The Phil Ranelin Anthology (Blue Interactions)

Phil Ranelin may be one of the most under-rated trombonist of them all. He is widely known in the jazz circles as one of the co-founders of the TRIBE movement out of Detroit, along with Detroit native Marcus Belgrave (trumpet). The Tribe was a collective which included a magazine, music label and more. But Ranelin's unfortunate infrequency of recording has probably contributed to the lack of notoriety of his superb albums and live performances. Ranelin while influenced by J.J. Johnson probably owes more to trumpet legend Freddie Hubbard, with whom he has worked with on numerous occasions, in addition to the spiritual influence of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy.

Ranelin's first recordings, Message From The Tribe, The Time Is Now and Vibe From The Tribe (all reissued under Hefty Records) are bold and improvising in the realm of late Coltrane and Dolpy records. These albums were wonderful microcosms of 70s jazz. Tracks like "Sounds From The Village," "For The Children," "Black Destiny' and "Time Is Now" all incorporate psychedelia, blues, poetry and African themes, which show Ranelin while influenced by the great legends was also beginning to find his voice. Ranelin would record sporadically throughout the latter 70s and 80s in addition to doing some teaching.

Ranelin returned to recording in the 90s with a series of albums which still included touch of heavy grooves and began to appeal to the underground soul jazz circuit. Albums such as Close Encounters Of The Very Best Kind, Love Dream and Inspiration all demonstrate a distinct voice, growth and well structured vision from the trombonist.

Ranelin recently recorded his first live album, Reminiscence (Wide Hive Records) which spans tour dates from 2002 and 2005. Featuring mostly original material and a few covers of Miles Davis, Duke Ellington as well as his sublime tribute to Eric Dolphy entitled "Shades Of Dolphy", Reminiscence is a killer live album well worth checking out.

Overall, if you are interested in finding other creative trombone players in the same vein as Curtis Fuller, J.J. Johnson and Steve Davis, Phil Ranelin should definitely be on list of artists to seek out. A really great place to start is a Japanese compilation called Sounds From The Village: The Phil Ranelin Anthology (Blues Interaction Inc.; 2004). Sound From The Village covers all the albums above excluding Reminiscence. It's an awesome compilation which really does touch on all the important tracks from his solo records.

Ranelin is still one of those underground artists deserving wide recognition and I hope at some point more people get a chance to hear his records. Ranelin has a voice and vision that really needs to be experienced.

Steve Davis

Steve Davis (trombone; b. 1967)

Dig Deep (Criss Cross)

Jim Rotundi (trumpet)

Eric Alexander (sax)

David Hazeltine (piano)
Nat Reeves (bass)
Joe Farnsworth (drums)

Steve Davis is regarded in the jazz scene as the heir-apparent to Curtis Fuller and J.J. Johnson. He is also one of the co-founding members of the sextet, One For All. Davis has the great distinction of performing in the final Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and Jackie McLean lineups as well as with Chick Corea's Origin Sextet. Bold, confident and expressive are all the things one will say after listening to a Steve Davis record.

Steve Davis has recorded over 15 albums to his name but the one that I wanted to focus on is his third album, Dig Deep (Criss Cross; 1997).

A few weeks ago I was doing my unfortunate/fortunate rummaging through used record stores for little gems. I found Dig Deep on that day and it made my eyes pop out of my head. And it was four dollars (US)!

Dig Deep is from what I can tell the first actually studio recording of the One For All band. This is significant in that up to this point they had only been performing live. Davis captures that live energy and the early unity of the band perfectly on this record. Dig Deep is fluid and diverse with the majority of the album written by Davis but each member contributes solid interplay and solo work throughout. It is a brilliant record documenting One For All in their early stages. At this point the most well known in the group was Eric Alexander. But everyone here is in crisp, solid form and up to the challenge. This a killer post hard bop date that pretty much anyone will enjoy.

The coolest thing about Dig Deep is the chemistry the band exudes. The opening track, aptly titled. "One For All," was written by Davis (originally when he was with The Jazz Messengers) is remarkably fresh, pounding and lively. The cover of "I Should Care" is beautiful and upbeat, featuring some incredible arrangements by David Hazeltine. In addition, another Davis penned number, "Payne's Window" is awesome and illustrates Davis great ability as band leader. The closing number, "Trippin'" is a barn-burner of a number at just over seven minutes. Joe Farnsworth and Eric Alexander really light up this piece and make it a perfect bookend to the opening track.

Dig Deep is definitely the first chapter in what would led to the long history for the entire group culminating a few more months later on the very first "official" One For All album. This a must have album even if you don't own a One For All album. It's a great modern hard bop date that is rare and hard to come by nowadays from most jazz groups. Seek it out. Indeed, sometimes when you find history no matter what genre you have to pick it up. You will regret it if you don't.

One For All: Continuing The Tradition

One For All (group; formed 1997)

Incorrigible (JLP)

Eric Alexander (sax)

Jim Rotondi (trumpet)

David Hazeltine (piano)

Joe Farnsworth (drums)

John Weber (bass)

Steve Davis (trombone)

For more than a decade, One For All have been one of the most exciting and swingin' hard bop groups on the jazz scene. The sextet have consistently been compared to the great Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers--a bold comparison but probably pretty accurate. Each member of this band is also a renowned solo artist so when they do record together it is always special.

One For All have been a permanent fixture in the New York jazz scene with frequently individual live performances (mostly at Smoke Jazz Club) in addition to their yearly performances as One For All at the famous Uptown venue. The group have just released their 15 album, Incorrigible (Jazz Legacy Productions) and it continues the groups string of straight-ahead hard bop with the same phenomenal results.

Incorrigible begins with the standard "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" but things really get jumping on the second piece "Petite Angel" penned by pianist David Hazeltine and featuring some lovely solo work from saxophonist, Eric Alexander and trombonist, Steve Davis. Upbeat with a slightly mid tempo groove "Petite Angel" is a signature example of how ease it is to fall in love this amazing sextet.

One of the most important and delightful things I have enjoyed all my years of listening to One For All is the fact that each member of the band writes material for the albums. So the listener tends to get a good overview of the depth this band possesses. There is no difference on Incorrigible. The loving tribute to the great trumpeter, Freddie Hubbard entitled "voice", written by trumpeter Jim Rotondi is sublime, touching and emotionally perfect.

The title track written by Eric Alexander is another standout moment as this is where the group begin to really to smokin' and you feel the power of their musicianship. Steve Davis (trombone) has been one of my favourtie musicians of the last ten years. He is definitely taking up the mantle of Curtis Fuller and J..J. Johnson with great ease. The track "Spirit Waltz" which originally featured on his 2001 album, Systems Blue (Criss Cross) is revisited here with the same vigour as its predecessor. In addition to always pitch perfect modality of Davis, drummer Joe Farnsworth helps drive this piece along with some nice timing accompanied by the rest of the groups precision work. For me "Spirit Waltz" is the second standout moment on Incorrigible.

The album rounds out with Rotondi and Davis numbers, "Back To Back" and "So Soon" respectively, where former is an upbeat latin-tinged soul-filler. The closer, "So Soon" reinforces the group ethos with each member practically highlighted throughout. It has an almost classic Blue Note Records quality to it. The perfect way to end the session.

One For All are that rare breed in jazz circles--a consistent group that has stuck together for years and continues to challenge each other and you can hear the fun they have playing together. This is a band that enjoys being in the studio as well on stage and every single record every record captures this magnificently. One For All continue to carry the straight ahead tradition of hard bop and of the small batch of new records so far this year, Incorrigible is by far in my top five.

Dave Bailey: One & Two Feet In The Gutter

Dave Bailey (drums; b. 1926)
The Complete One & Two Feet In The Gutter Sessions (Lone Hill Jazz)

Curtis Fuller (trombone)
Clark Terry (trumpet)
Bill Hardman (trumpet)
Juinor Cook (sax)
Charlie Rouse (sax)
Frank Hayes (sax)

Horace Parlan (piano) / Billy Gardner (piano)
Peck Morrisson (bass) / Ben Tucker (bass)

Originally this album was only one album--One Foot In Gutter (which came out on Epic Records in 1960). This is one of those smokin' jazz dates that every music fan can enjoy. Seriously you don't need a lot of history on date. Dave Bailey has been an under-appreciated yet phenomenal drummer before he recorded this stellar sessions. He has since retired and is teaching jazz in New York, I beleive.

Dave Bailey spent his formidable years working with in the legendary Gerry Mulligan Quartet and Big Band. He went on to record first the fantastic live date One Foot In The Gutter featuring superb solo work from Curtis Fuller (trombone) and Clark Terry (trumpet). The band also included Horace Parlan (piano), Peck Morrison (bass), Junior Cook and Thelonious Monk Quartet mainstay, Charlie Rouse sitting in on sax--all in truly rich powerful form throughout. The first session features a number Clark Terry numbers that really should be play loud and louder on your stereo to get the full encompassing effect ("Evad Smurd" and "One Foot In The Gutter"). There's also a great interpretation of Monk's "Well You Needn't" spotlighting Horace Parlan, and while Parlan can't match the majesty of Monk he does demand respect for re-imagining some of the parts. Parlan does for obvious reason seem more at home on the bluesier number "Blues For J.P." --mostly because Parlan wrote it. The band also close out the evening with a killer 21 minute opus of Clifford Brown's "Sandu". Absolutely beauty stuff.


The early 1960 session went so well that later the following year Bailey reconvened with new sextet to record the sequel, Two Feet In The Gutter. This session starts of with some hard driving interplay from Bailey and Billy Hardman (trumpet) on "Come Home Baby". This sextet had a lot to match compared to future legends that were recruited for the 1960 session but they do hold their own admirably. The title track "Two Feet In The Gutter" is a little more blues-ish/soul but has some great solo work from Frank Hayes (sax) and Bill Hardman.
 
Hardman and Hayes do very well in matching the quality of Terry and Rouse. The material does suit them for this more subtle bop date. The entire band do let loose as evident of "Lady Iris B". At the end of all this hard bop magic over the course of two years you will notice that Dave Bailey while letting his band do allot of the talking he is still the driving force as to where each tune goes and he is the glue to keeps the sessions together.
 
Only in the last five years have these two session really come back into circulation (as The Complete One & Two Feet In The Gutter Sessions) and thank god they did. It also includes an addition three tracks from a late 1961 session with Grant Green (guitar) entitled Reachin' Out. The In The Gutter Sessions are one of those deep treasures that jazz fans have been looking for but its also a two disc set that is worth it for fans of any music genre.
 
So if you are looking for something out the traditional big names you should seek out Dave Bailey's Complete One & Two Feet In The Gutter Sessions. Complete 1 & 2 Feet in the Gutter Sessions is available on import,  but if you want just the first date One Foot In The Gutter check it out at Amazon and take a listen. I'm pretty sure you're gonna dig it.

Cedar Walton: Living Legend

Cedar Walton (piano; b. 1934)

Cedar Walton has quietly become one of the most influential and revered musicians in jazz. In my opinion, Cedar Walton along with Wynton Kelly are one of a handful of hard bop pianists who don't get the recognition they so greatly deserve. He was a session player for many years during the '50s and early '60s. Cedar Walton has worked with a wide array of artists including a Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan among others. He is widely known as the first piano player for John Coltrane's Giant Steps sessions. But his true shinning moments are his own recordings of which there are many.
 
Walton's style is sophisticated, beautiful and intricate in the similar vein of Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. His choice of band members is always a sign of the intensity of recording session (especially live). Any album featuring legendary drummer, Billy Higgins is worth buying on the spot. The combination of Walton and Higgins is like Jagger and Richards, Lennon and McCartney or Monk and Rouse--you almost can't see one without the other. Walton's live performances of a thing of beauty. I have seen him countless times and I haven't experience one low-par show ever.
 

While all of his records I could easily recommend there is a highly strong and critically acclaimed period that saw Walton in his most inventive and prolific period. This was from 1975 - 1978 when he formed a band called Eastern Rebellion (named after the Irish rebel movement called Easter Rebellion). The band would also work off and on throughout the 80s and 90s but the majority of the material was during this three year stretch. The band consisted of mainstay Billy Higgins (drums), David Williams, Sam Jones (bass) and rotation of sax players including George Coleman, Bob Berg and Ralph Moore. The band originated out of a European tour that Cedar was headlining and he wanted to give his band an actual name and that's how Eastern Rebellion came about.

 

The albums are mixture of standards and Walton staples ("Bolivia", "Ojos de Rojo" and "The Maestro") with performances of the highest order. Most of the Eastern Rebellion albums were live so its the perfect way to hear Cedar Walton. There is a fantastic three disc set simply titled First Set, Second Set and Third Set (SteepleChase) which are probably the ones to start with. Bizarrely they are listed as The Cedar Walton Quartet records not Eastern Rebellion but that's nit-picky. The albums are a little hard to find but not out of print so they shouldn't cost that much. I have found them online and for download if you chose that route.

 
For those looking for some of Walton's newer material you should check The Promise Land (High Note) which features a host incredibly strong selections that anyone interested in jazz would love. The title track along with "Bermond's Blues" and "Thirty Degrees To The Wind" highlight an album of mostly Walton originals and is a real pleasure to listen to. A pianist with great skill and beauty--if you haven't experienced Cedar Walton you really should.
 
If you have a chance to see him live I highly recommend you buy ticket and see one of the few jazz legends still around and performing regularly. The perfomance below was recorded during one of Eastern Rebellion's European tours in '76.

CLASSIC ALBUMS: SONNY'S CRIB

Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark (piano; b. 1931 - d. 1963)

Sonny's Crib (Blue Note; 1957)

Donald Byrd (trumpet)

John Coltrane (sax)

Curtis Fuller (trombone)

Paul Chambers (bass)

Art Taylor (drums)

If the names above don't impress you enough to buy this---What's wrong with you!?! Well, once you've picked up those essential albums everyone must have when starting a jazz collection, what do you do next? I hope that everyone decides to dig deep and look for some really amazing records from artists they may not have heard of or may notice a couple of musicians playing on the album that are familiar.

Jazz, unlike some other forms of music, is where you can take an educated chance and 90% of time end up pleasantly surprised. One such venture should be Sonny Clark's Sonny's Crib (Blue Note; 1957). Sonny's Crib was the second session Clark would do for Blue Note (the first being Dial "S" for Sonny). Sonny was a huge admirer of John Coltrane and was very excited to be working with him on this, his second date as leader (Coltrane had just finished recording Blue Train (Blue Note; 1957) a month earlier). This date, while slightly subdued because of the material (3 covers and 2 originals), is still a fantastic piece of work from all the musicians involved.

Sonny's Crib features a group that is equal in command while also giveing the ability to solo their direction without dominating the proceedings. Each of the musicians for this session were on their way to becoming legends, but you don't get that sense from this date. From the opening upbeat "Without A Song" that features some killer interchanges between Coltrane and Byrd, to astounding precision of Coltrane, Byrd and Fuller on the Clark penned title track you get the feeling this was not only an amazing session to sit in on but a wonderfully powerful group of artists with whom to record.

The two original compositions "Sonny Crib" and "News For Lulu" would eventually become semi-standards by today's current generation of artists (John Zorn recently covered News For Lulu on two ultra-rare discs with George Lewis (trombone) and Bill Frisell (guitar)).

Sonny's Crib is definitely indicative of the Blue Note sound but it also demonstrates the beauty of each of the performers at an early stage in their careers. Sonny Clark would go on to record two more outstanding Blue Note albums, Sonny Clark Trio and Cool Struttin' in the following months.

John Coltrane would record Soultrane (OJC) a few months into 1958 with Art Taylor and Paul Chambers. Sonny Clark had an unfortunately short career (heart attack in '63) but he left behind a body of work that is solid through and through. If you find any of his albums I would definitely pick them up. Sonny's Crib is an album anyone can enjoy. There are a couple of "Best Of" compilations which actually do the job quite well if you don't want to hunt down the individual albums, but I hope you do.

If you're interested, take a listen on Amazon to Sonny's Crib. It's available both as download and a physical CD.

Below is the titled track from Cool Struttin'.