Though he first appeared on Herbie Hancock’s 1963 album My Point of View, trombonist Grachan Moncur III’s first true Blue Note introduction would come on two albums by saxophonist Jackie McLean that were recorded later that year: One Step Beyond and Destination… Out! These two great inside-out sessions presented a spacious new sound that moved fluidly between avant-garde and post-bop territory with McLean featuring Moncur’s singular compositions. Several months later Moncur returned to Van Gelder Studio to record his own remarkable debut album Evolution, which remains a marvel of the Blue Note catalog. For the date the trombonist assembled an exceptional ensemble that returned several musicians including McLean, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, and drummer Tony Williams, with the addition of Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bob Cranshaw on bass. The band delivers dynamic performances of four expansive original pieces by Moncur: “Air Raid,” “Evolution,” “The Coaster,” and “Monk In Wonderland.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
In Andrew Hill, Alfred Lion believed he had found another pianist and composer who had as unique and important a voice as Thelonious Monk. Hill debuted on Blue Note in 1963 with a staggering burst of creativity that produced four classic albums—Black Fire, Smoke Stack, Judgment!, and his masterpiece Point of Departure—over a period of just five months. Recorded in March 1964, Point of Departure expanded Hill’s palette with a 6-piece ensemble of diverse players that included the remarkable frontline of Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and flute, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, and Kenny Dorham on trumpet, along with Richard Davis on bass and Tony Williams on drums. The robust sextet delivered thrilling performances of Hill’s extraordinary compositions including “Refuge,” “New Monastery,” “Flight 19,” and “Dedication.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Tenor saxophonist Harold Vick was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina and played with R&B bands coming up before working as a sideman with soul jazz organ greats including Jack McDuff and Big John Patton. Vick made his first Blue Note appearance in April 1963 on Patton’s Along Came John, and a month later Alfred Lion brought the saxophonist back into the studio to record his own debut as a leader, the underrated soul jazz gem Steppin’ Out. For the session Vick assembled the same band with Patton on organ, Grant Green on guitar, Ben Dixon on drums, and added Blue Mitchell on trumpet. The record finds its groove from the very first soul drenched notes of the opener “Our Miss Brooks” and stays firmly in the pocket throughout this 6-song set including the hard-charging “Trimmed In Blue,” a deeply felt rendition of the ballad “Laura,” the swaggering minor blues “Vicksville,” and the buoyant title track which closes the album.
Bobby Hutcherson - Stick Up (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson had a profound influence over the sound of Blue Note Records in the 1960s, with his distinctive vibes elevating a wide range of all-time classics from Grant Green Idle Moments to Eric Dolphy Out To Lunch. His fifth Blue Note session as a leader, 1966’s album Stick-Up! found Hutcherson in the company of a new band line-up with Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The versatile quintet covers a vast expanse of post-bop territory on this excellent six-song set which opens with a spirited romp through Ornette Coleman’s “Una Muy Bonita.” Five Hutcherson originals follow including the hard driving “8/4 Beat,” the dreamy ballad “Summer Nights,” and the expansive “Verse.”
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