Vibraphonist Warren Wolf
Here are some highlights from tonight’s show.
Warren Wolf. This guy is an amazing vibraphonist; such energy and hard bop swing. This is a cut from his second album:
“Soul Sister” composed by Wolf from Convergence (2016) on Mack Avenue Records — Warren Wolf, vibes; Christian McBride, bass; John Scofield, guitar, Brad Mehldau, piano, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts.
Freddie Hubbard. Authentic hard bop; amazing bowed bass solo from Paul Chambers.
Played. “Asiatic Raes” composed by Hubbard from Goin’ Up (1960) on Blue Note — Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Hank Mobley, tenor; McCoy Tyner, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums
McCoy Tyner. Tyner’s opening bars are straight blues T-Bone Walker style, but all sweet jazz improvisation. Listen to this one and then tell me blues is not jazz. Huh!
“Blues Back” composed by Tyner from The Impulse Story on Impulse — McCoy Tyner, piano, leader; Sonny Stitt, alto; Art Davis, bass; Art Blakey, drums
Oscar Peterson. A great jazz piano player, full of soul and bebop keyboard runs (jazz music theorists have a word for this). Scales and chords reek of the blues. Jazz blues.
“Close your eyes” composed by Peterson from The Jazz Soul of Oscar Peterson (1959) on Verve — Oscar Peterson, piano; Ray Brown, bass; Ed Thigpen, drums
Mose Allison. Mose is all but known for his vocal jazz/blues, but he is a prolific composer and a piano style that is full of the blues.
“Mojo Woman” composed by Allison from Down Home Piano (1957) on Prestige — Mose Allison, piano; Addison Farmer, bass; Nick Stabulas, drums
Herbie Mann. Herbie’s popularity began to wan in the seventies after a prolific and successful recording run during the sixties, in spite of the decline of jazz commercially. Besides Mann’s ridiculously crazy flute work, this particular tune, as well as other cuts on the album, features blues guitarist Duane Allman who takes a couple of rock/blues sounding solos.
“Funky Nassau” composed by Ray Munnings, Tyrone Fitzgerald from Push (1971) on Embryo Records — Herbie Mann, flute, leader; Duanne Allman, guitar solo; Richard Tee, electric piano; Jerry Jemmott, bass; Bernard Purdie, drums
Dave Pike. A hugely talented, but largely unknown bop vibraphonist. Mallet madness!
“Cheryl” composed by Charlie Parker from It’s time for dave pike (1961) on Riverside — Dave Pike, vibes, leader; Barry Harris, piano; Reggie Workman, bass; Billy Higgins, drums
Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker. Carl Allen is a highly respected drummer who has played with hard bop heavyweights Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Art Farmer, George Coleman and others. Here in teams with Rodney Whitaker for some “soul-inflected” jazz.
“Get Ready” composed by Robinson from Get Ready — Carl Allen, drums; Rodney Whitaker, bass; Steve Wison, alto; Rodney Jones, guitar; Dorsey Robinson, organ
Bassist Marcus Miller
Marcus Miller. For what ever reason, jazz fusion, Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, Fender basses, the jazz bass of the 21st century has evolved even more into a solo instrument capable. Two bassists who have been a part of this new evolution of the electric bass, Marcus Miller and Mitchell Coleman, Jr., illustrate the amazing versatility of the instrument. First Miller (great guitar solo chops from Adam Agati):
“Detroit” composed by Miller from RENAISSANCE (2012) on Concord — Marcus Miller, bass, leader; Alex Han, alto; Maurice Brown, trumpet; Adam Agati, guitar; Fender Rhodes, Kris Bowers; Louis Cato, drums;
Mitchell Coleman Jr. Coleman takes the “funky” style bass to a new level here:
“So Funky” composed by Mitchell Coleman, Jr. from Perception — Mitchell Coleman Jr., bass, leader; Mochael Bolivar, tenor; Josh Sklair, guitar; James Gadson, drums
Pepper Adams Quintet.
“The Long Two/Four” composed by Donald Byrd from 10 to 4 at the 5 spot (1958) on Riverside — Pepper Adams, baritone, leader; Donald Byrd, trumpet; Bobby Timmons, piano; Doug Watkins, bass; Elvin Jones, drums
Willis Jackson.
“Crying” composed by Jackson from Mellow Blues (1970) on UpFront — Willis Jackson, tenor; George Benson, guitar; Dave “Baby” Cortez, organ; Earl Williams, congas and drums
Call and Response 