Tubby Hayes Quartet - Grits, Beans, & Greens – The Lost
Fontana Studio Session 1969
A long-lost album from one of our favorite jazz talents of
all time – British tenor legend Tubby Hayes, a player we'd easily place on a
short list with giants like Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins! Like both of those
players, Hayes has an incredible talent for longform solos that never lose
their fire, direction, or imagination – a quality that emerges here maybe even
more strongly than on some of the records that preceded it – as Hayes works
with just a quartet, on long tracks that are really dominated by both his great
sound, and the strong contributions of pianist Mike Pyne – an equal star on the
set! At a time when British jazz was going for a lot of new recording modes,
crossover styles, and other gimmicks, the whole thing is a back to basics
record for Tubby – but also one that shows just how much he's grown as a
soloist in just a few short years – really on fire, as the tenor is driven
strongly by the efforts of Ron Mathewson on bass and Spike Wells on drums,
completing a great quartet who really get the energy of their leader. Titles
include a great version of the Duke Pearson tune "You Know I Care", a
lovely take on "Where Am I Going", and the Hayes originals "For
Members Only", "Rumpus", and "Grits Beans &
Greens". Fantastic stuff – long overdue, and instantly a key addition to
the Tubby Hayes Fontana catalog of the 60s! ~ Dusty Groove
Alicia Olatuja - Intuition – Songs From The Minds Of Women
Alicia Olatuja takes on the music of some strong female
inspirations – Sade, Brenda Russell, Joni Mitchell, and others – but serves
them up in a jazzy style that's very much her own! The album's in a great space
between conventional jazz and contemporary soul – and Alicia gets help from
Billy Childs on piano and arrangements, plus David Rosenthal on guitar, Ulysses
Owens Jr on drums, and Dayna Stephens on tenor – all players whose presence we
take as more strong endorsement of the set! Titles include one of the best
versions of "People Make The World Go Round" since Dee Dee
Bridgewater recorded her jazz take in the 70s – plus "Just Wait",
"Child Of The Moon", "Oriana", "Transform",
"Hide & Seek", "Gracias A La Vida", "Cherokee
Louise", and "No Ordinary Love". ~ Dusty Groove
Horn Rock & Funky Guitar Grooves 1968 to 1974 (Various
Artists)
Funky sounds from a time when jazz and rock music
instrumentation collided – and came up with a bastard child that was
unfortunately named "jazz rock", and which kept some folks away from
some surprisingly groovy records back in the day! Don't let that moniker get
you down – as it's way more dated than the music on this set, and hardly gets
at the soul-drenched style of the grooves – which often owe more to the horn
sections of Memphis and Muscle Shoals records from earlier in the 60s, than
they do from any higher attempt to merge the worlds of highbrow jazz and
long-haired rock! In truth, most of these groups were probably raised on equal
parts soul with all the other styles they were drinking up – and they probably
also picked up a few members who got young training in school bands, then found
a way to work with their guitar-playing friends – adding plenty of color and
tone to the drums and bass that really drive the tunes. The set is a wonderful
introduction to the genre – and not only mixes a few key classics with lots of
overlooked gems – but also touches on some of the funkier nuggets that have
been sampled over the years. Titles include "Toe Hold" by Al Kooper,
"Run Back To Mama" by Chase, "Clown (part 1)" by The Flock,
"One Fine Morning (LP version)" by Lighthouse, "It's Been A Long
Time Coming" by Delaney & Bonnie, "Understanding" by Cold
Blood, "Somebody Oughta Turn Your Head Around" by Crystal Mansion,
"Tuane" by Hammer, "Roller Coaster" by Blood Sweat &
Tears, "Clever Girl" by Tower Of Power, "Aunt Marie" by
American Sound Ltd, "Gypsy Boy II" by Tobias Wood Henderson,
"Blow Your Mind" by Donnie Brooks, "Boomp Boomp Chomp" by
The Sons, and "Shoes" by Black Magic. ~ Dusty Groove
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