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Philly Joe Jones gained much fame as one of the most sought drummers in Hard Bop, especially by playing for classic Miles Davis Quintet in mid 50s, but surprisingly did not release many albums under his own name. Compared to other drummers like Art Blakey or Max Roach who led own group or recorded with various styles of music, Jones became important and popular sidemen for soloists, a major force behind many records from Blue Note, Riverside, and Prestige.
This one is his debut release, after leaving from Miles' group in the same year. On this album, what you can hear is not only Jones' strong drum solos and fiery , but also introduction to then up-and-coming talents that would become well known in the world of Jazz including Nat Adderley, Johnny Griffin, Tommy Flanagan (listen to "Tune-up" for intense and hard-driven powerful solos). The album begins with unusual and unexpected opening track, "Blues for Dracula" with several minutes of Jones' ad lib impersonation of the horror-film icon Bela Lugosi.
Personnel:
Philly Joe Jones - Drums, Vocals
Johnny Griffin - Tenor Sax
Nat Adderley - Cornet
Julian Priester - Trombone
Tommy Flanagan - Piano
Jimmy Garrison - Bass
Orrin Keepnews - Producer
Tracklists:
Side A:
1. Blues For Dracula (8:14)
2. Trick Street (3:50)
3. Fiesta (10:25)
Side B:
1. Tune Up (8:04)
5. Ow! (12:12)
Another great findings over the weekend.
During 60s, Sonny Rollins released 3 albums from Impluse! Records, and this one is definitely the masterpiece. East Broadway Run Down features 2 of John Coltrane's band members, Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison, as well as well-established trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (Jones left Coltrane's group in 1966, the year they recorded album). With them, Rollins delivered powerful free-form performance on title track, with Garrison's one note pulse and Jones' multi-layered rhythmic exchange of vamps. While the rhythm section keeping tension building, Rollins and Hubbard play theme in unison somewhat freely, with floating melody line.
This album is real good example of 60s Jazz, hard bop with free Jazz element added, but still remaining in unity. It is also available on CD. Highly recommended.
Personnel:
Sonny Rollins - Tenor Sax
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet
Jimmy Garrison - Bass
Elvin Jones - Drums
Side A:
1. East Broadway Run Down (20:25)
Side B:
1. Blessing In Disguise (12:24)
2. We Kiss In The Shadow (5:35)
Sonny Rollins Official Site
"East Broadway Run Down on Impulse! Records site
My first post of 2009, and it is a tribute to one of the truly greatest trumpeter of the history of Jazz. Freddie Hubbard died on December 28, 2008. He was 70. R.I.P
The sound of Freddie Hubbard cannot be categorized into one segment, from hard-bop with Art Blakey and The Jazz messengers (replacing Lee Morgan), his Blue Note recordings, post-bop including Eric Dolphy's "Out to Lunch", Herbie Hancock's "maiden Voyage", to avant-garde recordings with John Coltrane's "Ascension" and "Afrca Brass", and Ornette Coleman's "Free jazz. Later, he moved on to record for CTI, and recorded more pop-Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Soul-Jazz oriented materials. Still, his sound was always energetic, overwhelming, and illuminating, so powerful that his playing will be forever ranked his as the top trumpet playter, along with Gizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown.
My personal and memorable encounter with one of Freddie Hubbard's record was "Red Clay" I found in London. It was a year 2000, and I was still young and just a guy who was trying to find the records so cool and hip that no one really has. I went to "Release the Groove" on Denman St., and was at the first floor talking to the store clerk about the sounds that I was looking for. And he put out this old record. When I heard the first trumpet sound on intro, I thought this is something different, different means good different. The drums and bass began. And by the time horns sounds came in, I was so hooked, with whole groove, melody, rhythm section, and the horn solo! I talked for like an hour about the album, Jazz-funk records, and CTI records at the store that day. One of the best record buying day of my life. Freddie Hubbard will always and definitely be one of my favorite players, no matter what style of Jazz he played, and his records will remain among my top disc in my vault. R.I.P. H.B. We remember.
Freddie Hubbard "Red Clay", CTI Records, 1970
Personnel:
Trumpet: Freddie Hubbard
Tenor Sax: Joe Henderson
E. Piano: Herbie Hancock
Bass: Ron Carter
Drumbs: Lenny White
Side A:
1. Red Clay
2. Delphia
Side B:
3. Suite Sioux
4. The Intrepid Fox
Philly Joe Jones gained much fame as one of the most sought drummers in Hard Bop, especially by playing for classic Miles Davis Quintet in mid 50s, but surprisingly did not release many albums under his own name. Compared to other drummers like Art Blakey or Max Roach who led own group or recorded with various styles of music, Jones became important and popular sidemen for soloists, a major force behind many records from Blue Note, Riverside, and Prestige.
