NEW RELEASES: MAX ROACH – DRUMS UNLIMITED; GENE HARRIS TRIO – OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY; HERB ALPERT – BLOW YOUR OWN HORN

MAX ROACH – DRUMS UNLIMITED

The drums are certainly unlimited here – and the album's a really unique one, in that it shows Max Roach in 2 different settings – one with a group, and one that's simply solo! One batch of tracks has Max in the company of a tight group of soul jazz players like Freddie Hubbard, Roland Alexander, James Spaulding, and Ronnie Matthews. The group is very tight, and they've got hard wailing sound similar to a Blue Note group, but with a bit more of a soul jazz feel. They play on two long tracks – "Nommo" and "In the Red". The rest of the tracks – "Drums Unlimited", "The Drum Also Waltzes", and "For Big Sid" – feature Max playing solo, which is a rare treat for a recording of this vintage. The tracks are great, with a very musical groove, and lively playing by Max that never gets too self indulgent. (SHM-CD pressing!)  ~ Dusty Groove

GENE HARRIS TRIO – OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY

One of the few rare albums by that "other" Gene Harris – not the famous leader of the Three Sounds, or later Concord Records fame – but a lesser-known 50s cat who was classically trained, but can really serve up a soulful swing on the keys! This Gene really knows his way around the keyboard, with a deftness that often comes across right in the very first few notes of a tune – but never in a way that's show-offy at all – especially once the easygoing rhythm duo gets into a groove! Bass is by Mike Long, drums are by George Herman – and titles include "Our Love Is Here To Stay", "Let's Fall In Love", "Cheerful Little Earful", "The Girl Friend", "Out Of This World", and "Love Me Or Leave Me". (SHM-CD pressing!)  ~ Dusty Groove

HERB ALPERT – BLOW YOUR OWN HORN

Herb Alpert seems to have lost his shirt on the way to the photo shoot for the album – but it looks like he's still got his trumpet to keep him warm! Joking aside, the album's a great one from the later Herb – one of those sets that has him turning his strong talent for a trumpet solo in the direction of soulful fusion and R&B-inflected jazz – maybe taking a page from the book of Chuck Mangione or Maynard Ferguson in the process, but definitely giving things his own sort of spin! The arrangements are nicely tasteful – electric, but never clunkily so, especially for the time – and Alpert's trumpet really does a great job of warming things up. Titles include "Latin Lady", "Garden Party", "Paradise Cove", "Gently", "True Confessions", "The Midnight Tango", and "Sundown".  ~ Dusty Groove