01. You Need Love 02. Love And Death 03. What Is Life? 04. Christ Will Come 05. Victory
Alto Saxophone – George Amissah Bass Guitar – Lamptey, Paa Kwesi Congas – Tom Prize Drums – Max Hammond Drums [African Drums], Trumpet – Arthur Kennedy Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Composed By, Arranged By, Voice – Ebo Taylor
Tenor Saxophone – George Abunuah
One of Ghanaʼs finest producer and arrangers, Ebo Taylor was involved in a lot of the afro-funk to emerge from the country in the 70s working with bands such as Apagya Show Band and fellow musicians such as C.K. Mann and Pat Thomas.
Conflict was originally released in 1980 and is finally seeing a long overdue reissue on Mr Bongo, following a partial remake as part of Taylorʼs 2009 Love and Death album.
The five tracks that make up Conflict are a perfect example of Taylorʼs trademark approach that saw him inject a heavy dose of funk into Ghanaʼs traditional highlife grooves in an attempt to move away from what he saw as the musicʼs more traditional qualities. The album opens with the highlife of You Need Love, a track with catchy chants, horn riffs and guitar licks, and soon moves into funkier territories starting with Love and Death and then What Is Life?, a song with thicker grooves and a flute offset against the horn section. Christ Will Come is a highlight combining percussion with funky drums, flute and horns to devastating effect for what is essentially a bit of an apocalyptic jam heralding Christʼs return on judgement day. The album closes with Victory. Based on a traditional song of the Asafo people, the song puts forward the horn section over a rapid groove and calls for the unity of all mankind. Taylorʼs arrangements and funky grooves combined with lyrics that touch on subjects ranging from love to religion make Conflict a stand out opus of Ghanaian afro-funk thatʼs ripe for rediscovery.
01. Kanea A Yedze Hwe Kwan Mu 02. Mihia Wo Mber Nyina 03. Ewuradze Nye Mo Guanhwefo 04. Me Kra Tsie Ewuradze A 05. Gya M', Kan Doyefo 06. Abofo Rikyin Hen Ho
Alto Saxophone – George Amissah Alto Vocals – Dorcas Akafie, Gladys Aidoo Alto Vocals [Leader] – Richard Acolatse Baritone Vocals – Evans Kwesi Goode, Kofi Benjamin Ellis Baritone Vocals [Leader] – Kwesi Tawiah Ellis Bass Guitar – David Lamptey Chorus Master – E.K. Goode Congas – Teiko Drums – Max Hammond Guitar – Ekow Afful Lead Vocals [Soloist] – Alex Aboagye Percussion – Leo Agyemang-Fynn Producer, Arranged By – Ebo Taylor Soprano Vocals – Cecilia Acolatse, Ernestina Yawson Soprano Vocals [Leader] – Susuana Oppong Supervised By – G.W. Akumanyi Tenor Vocals – C.K. Abban, Isaac Abraham Tenor Vocals [Leader] – Oyeman Aidoo
Confusion surrounds the exact chronology of Ebo Taylor’s lengthy career, and over the years he too has been flexible with dates and events. A lot of water has, after all, passed under the bridge. There are some certainties, however. Taylor was born in 1936 on Ghana’s Cape Coast, where he still lives, in Saltpond City. Around 90 road-miles west of Accra, Cape Coast is home to a string of fishing villages where traditional Ghanaian music continues to be part of daily life and where Taylor grew up listening to the roots highlife that has always been at the heart of his style.
Tayor came of age during the golden years of highlife, an era dominated by the pioneering saxophonist and trumpeter ET Mensah and his band The Tempos. After leaving college, Taylor joined the Stargazers, a highlife band led by saxophonist Teddy Osei and drummer Sol Amarfio, who were among the founding members of the hugely successful British-based Afro-rock band, Osibisa. When Osei and Amarfio broke up the Stargazers to form the Comets, Taylor played with, and arranged for, a succession of highlife bands on the Cape Coast and in Accra.
From 1962 to 1965, Taylor lived in London, where he studied at the Eric Gilder School Of Music. In 1965 he returned to Ghana, where he set up the New Broadway Dance Band, leaving them in 1970 to form the Blue Monks. Both bands, at various times, included the singer Pat Thomas, another alumnus of the Stargazers, who was soon to find fame across West Africa with his own band, the Sweet Beans. Taylor and Thomas have since frequently recorded together. In the early 1970s, Taylor also became the in-house guitarist, arranger and producer for Dick Essilfie-Bondziea’s prolific and influential Essiebons label.
Among Taylor’s uncommon attributes is his affinity for both highlife and Afrobeat, which have traditionally existed in near-parallel universes. It is likely that Taylor developed this talent while working at Essiebons, which recorded a wide variety of West African musics, from Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Guinea and elsewhere. His cultural inclusiveness began, however, in London in the mid 1960s….
The Eric Gilder School of Music was then located in Soho’s Wardour Street, bang in the middle of London club land (the Marquee club moved into the building immediately next door to the school in 1964). Like the Nigerian saxophonist Peter King and (then) trumpeter Fela Kuti, who were also studying music in London and both of whom he soon got to know, Taylor learnt more about music by listening to, and sitting-in, with club bands in Soho and Notting Hill – then countercultural and socially marginalised areas on different planets than they inhabit today – than he did by attending college lectures. “There was one particular Soho club called the Abalabi which featured highlife,” says Taylor. “Fela and I used to go there and jam a lot.” Both musicians also absorbed a lot of live jazz.
he swinging ’60s and I hung out in clubs with musicians like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. They were good times. But highlife music wasn’t popular with English people then. They enjoyed calypso and ska but not African music. I think they thought that, unlike Trinidad and Jamaica, Africa was primitive, with people living in trees in the jungle. They didn’t come across African music in their social life and they weren’t interested to seek it out, so they never really heard it. But highlife was very popular with Africans in London! It was a powerful reminder of home.”
Living in London in the 1960s, did Taylor ever dream that African music would break out of its niche and gain a wider audience? “I had hopes that it would catch on with English people, but I never really thought it would happen,” says Taylor. “Twenty years later world music changed all that though. English people started having more interest in records from Africa. Today there may be more Afrobeat bands in Europe than there are in West Africa. It is remarkable.” (Today’s crop of mixed-ethnicity Afrobeat bands was actually preceded by similarly inclusive highlife bands in London in the mid 1980s, when the world-music movement was emerging. Among the most prominent was Hi-Life International, who recorded for the label run by the specialist record shop Sterns.)
In 1964, the year before he returned to Ghana, Taylor formed by Black Star Highlife Band, which included his onetime Stargazers bandmates Teddy Osei and Sol Amarfio, who were also studying music in London. The Black Stars fused highlife with elements of jazz. “Fela used to say to me, ‘Why are we Africans always playing jazz?’,” says Taylor. “He said jazz was for the Americans and we should be doing our own thing. But of course jazz later played a big part in Fela’s Afrobeat, just like it did in my music.
“Fela often came to my flat in Willesden and we would spend hours playing records by people like John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker and analysing them. Jazz has been a big influence on me, especially guitarists like Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Chuck Wayne – I actually named one of my sons after him. Also Kenny Burrell, he has so much soul. I feel like I’m still playing jazz but with Ghanaian rhythms. There are American influences in my music but there is African culture behind it. Along with jazz, James Brown and funk brought changes to my music. Fela introduced it to Nigerian music and I did the same sort of thing in Ghana.”
Alongside today’s ever-increasing interest in West African music, says Taylor, a new generation of Ghanaian musicians are rediscovering traditional highlife. “It is still a minority of people who are interested in traditional music,” he says. “Most young musicians in Ghana are getting their ideas from overseas, and maybe mixing in some highlife or Afrobeat. But some people are looking back into earlier forms of music. There’s a new wave that is related to the highlife of the ‘40s and ‘50s. All the older styles got forgotten or ignored during the colonial era, especially in big towns like Accra, where you mostly music from Britain in the clubs.
“That attitude continued even after independence. But in Saltpond City, and all along the Cape Coast, they have never forgotten the traditional music. You can still hear the fishermen singing the songs while they mend their nets on the beach. I do believe that it is important for music to progress, otherwise it just becomes something for museums, but you have to know your traditional culture before you start adding things to it.”
A balance between tradition and innovation was what Taylor aimed for when recording Yen Ara with his group, the Saltpond City Band. There are roots in highlife and Afrobeat, but also elements of jazz and European dance music. “The intention was to follow the path of African music, which our ancestors left for us and which we should not forget,” says Taylor. “The album offers a variety of African music. It’s not all Afrobeat or all highlife. It is designed to show the full scope of authentic West African music – which must not stop.”
At age 81, Taylor has no intention of stopping either. He hopes to carry on performing and recording for years yet. “By the grace of God and physical exercise,” he says.
Digitally remastered edition of this 1978 album. Ebo Taylor is one of Ghana's finest producer/arrangers. Taylor was heavily influential in the unique sound that emerged from the country in the ‘70s - a combination of traditional Ghanaian with Afro- beat, jazz, and funk rhythms. He worked with bands including Stargazers Band, Broadway Dance Band, Black Star Highlife Band (with Teddy Osei and Sol Amarfio who later joined Osibisa), Apagya Show Band and fellow musicians C.K. Mann, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and the legendary Pat Thomas. Twer Nyame (?Trust in God') was originally released in 1978 on Philips-West African-Records. Classic highlife sounds; up-tempo grooves, vocals, tons of percussion, guitar, horns and organ lines. Featuring the stand-out ?Atwer Abroba'.
Composed By, Arranged By, Guitar – Ebo Taylor Lead Vocals – Pat Thomas .
Ebo Taylor is a Ghanaian icon who embodied highlife (read more) and later represented afrobeat for the country.
As an arranger and a producer he put C.K Mann and Pat Thomas on the map but his self-titled debut may be one of the best and underated first records of all time. As a bandleader and musicians you can already tell Taylor had larger composition ambitions and if the A-Side of the record is all very solid, entertaining and proper music to dance to; the B-Side goes deep.
Ohye Atar Gyan is what highlife is all about. The multiple horns blend into the rythm section and give a dark pulsating presence to the impeccable melody. Then Heaven hits and its obviously an automatic hit record, but its much more complex than a simple dance-floor designed composition. For a debut album to have such focus and execution and to produce such hard hitting songs is truly a feat and Ebo is responsible for orchestrating the whole thing. The rest of his career was a series of very solid albums but for me nothing compares to the rawness of the first one… Except maybe Come Along with one of his many groups the Pelikans.
Originally released in 1977, Ebo Taylorʼs self-titled album is a rarity that truly exposes the genius of the Ghanaian producer and arranger. Having spent most of the 1970s involved in Ghanaʼs afro-funk output, working with different bands and musicians alike, Taylor put forward his own unique blend of Ghanaian highlife and afro-beat with this self-titled release.
The six songs that make up the album exemplify Taylorʼs desire to experiment and move beyond the constraints of colonial influences on Highlife and African musical traditions. Saana combines highlife guitars and jazz horns with a funked up rhythm and the sweetest chants, a vibe carried over on Ntsir A with its funky horns and Ghanaian singing. Throughout the album Taylor injects elements of funk, jazz and afrobeat into his compositions without being obvious, instead channelling the experimentation he once referred to as ʻa way to develop our African music to enable us to get global attention.ʼ Heaven is perhaps the albumʼs highlight and widely recognised as one of the finest examples of Ghanaian afrobeat from the late 70s. Its popularity has endured through the decades and the song even found a new lease of life after Usher sampled it.
01. Enye Nyame Nko 6:39 02. Gyae Su Na Nkomo 5:04 03. Reality 8:23 04. Egya Edu 6:53 05. Mber No Aso 3:07 06. Come Along 6:01 07. If You Care 3:36
Recorded At – Ghana Films Studios Accra Made By – Record Manufacturers (Ghana) Ltd. [R.M.G.L.] – 3317751 Composed By, Arranged By – Ebow deRoy Taylor
For this album, Ebo joined forces with 12-piece band ‘The Pelikans’ — from the Cape Coast region of Ghana — led by Bessa Simmona, with rhythm guitarist Fifi Orleans Lindsay. A genuine ‘holy-grail’ of Ghanaian music and one of Ebo’s most saught-after.
The album was released on the small Abookyi label. Named after a nightclub they played in called PELIKANS, and sung in English and Fante, this was the first album where Ebo sang on tracks, such as the classic ‘Come Along’, on which he also plays keyboard. This song clearly defined a new direction in highlife and has become a Ghanaian funk anthem. ‘Come Along’ formed the basis of Sadat X’s ‘Remember That’ hip hop jam from 2011.
This official Mr Bongo re-issue is packaged in our new & improved heavyweight ‘tip-on’ sleeves; printed in Japan, pressed on high quality vinyl, audio restored to the best of our ability, with label designs and artwork as per the original release.
01. Odofo Nyi Akyiri Biara 4:42 02. Will You Promise 7:50 03. Maye Omama 13:43 04. My Love And Music
Arranged By, Composed By, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Written-By – Ebo Taylor
Born in 1936, Ghanaian guitarist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and producer Ebo Taylor has been a vital presence in African music for more than half-a-century. During the early '60s, he was active in the influential highlife bands the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band whose singles were mainstays on national radio. In 1962 he took his Black Star Highlife Band to London and collaborated with other African musicians who were also in Britain at the time, including Fela Kuti. Back in Ghana, he worked as an influential producer, crafting recordings for Pat Thomas (his future collaborator) and C.K. Mann, among many others. During the '70s, his own musical projects combined traditional Ghanaian music with Afro-beat, jazz, and funk, creating a trademark sound as evidenced by the albums Ebo Taylor & the Pelikans (1976) and Twer Nyame (1978). In the '80s, albums such as Conflict Nkru! and Hitsville Re-Visited (co-billed to Thomas) by his Uhuru-Yenzu band delivered a rawer, more immediate sound. Over the next two decades, Taylor was a noted producer, arranger, and composer, working with Thomas, Mann, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Kofi Yankson, and dozens of others. He returned to performing live in the early 21st century after hip-hop producers began sampling his work. Soundways Records released the compilation Ghana Special. In 2010, Strut Records released Love and Death, his first internationally distributed album, followed by a series of catalog reissues and all-new recordings including 2018's Yen Ara.
Taylor was born in Ghana and grew up on the sounds of the wartime big bands. His father nudged him into music, by encouraging his son to learn to play the family organ. He caught the music bug and began studying guitar in school, coming under the sway of the emergent highlife movement. He would soon lead his first group, an eight-piece band named the Stargazers. In 1962, he departed his native Ghana for London to study at the London Eric Gilder School of Music. He explored jazz, funk, and soul alongside fellow student Fela Kuti and future Osibisa bandmembers Teddy Osei and Sol Amarfio. They indulged in endless jam sessions in jazz clubs off Oxford Street, after which Fela would often join Taylor in his flat in Willesden Junction. They would listen to jazz records for hours, analyzing the structure and chord progressions of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. During his time abroad, Taylor founded the Black Star Highlife Band, which showcased one of his greatest contributions to highlife: His jazz-inspired horn arrangements.
After returning to Ghana, Taylor became an in-house arranger and producer for labels like Essiebons, working with other leading Ghanaian stars including Mann and Thomas. He was paid to write for them, play guitar on sessions, and supervise recordings. From the '70s through the '80s, Taylor cut a host of his own solo albums that offered idiosyncratic but very popular fusions of traditional Ghanaian sounds, Afrobeat, jazz, soul, and funk on albums such as My Love and Music, Twer Nyame, and Me Kra Tsie. His single "Heaven" from this period stands among the most revered Ghanaian Afrobeat tunes of the era. Taylor formed Uhuru-Yenzu in 1980 and released the albums Conflict Nkru! Nsamanfo: People's Highlife, Vol. 1, and Hitsville Re-Visited (the latter co-billed to Thomas). After the album Pat Thomas & Ebo Taylor in 1984, the guitarist stopped recording and touring and focused instead on producing, arranging, and composing for dozens of other artists.
In 2008, Taylor met the Berlin-based musicians of the Berlin Afrobeat Academy, including saxophonist Ben Abarbanel-Wolff. A year later, Usher sampled "Heaven" for his hit "She Don’t Know" (feat. Ludacris). In 2010, Taylor teamed with Berlin Afrobeat Academy for Love and Death on Strut Records, his first internationally distributed album. It offered re-recordings of his highlife and Afrobeat hits. Its success prompted Strut to issue the stellar retrospective Life Stories: Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1973-1980 in the spring of 2011. In 2012, a third Strut album, the deeply personal Appia Kwa Bridge, appeared and showed that at 76, Taylor was still intensely creative and forceful, mixing traditional Fante songs and chants with children's rhymes and personal matters into his own sharp vision of highlife.
That record marked the beginning of a popular renaissance for Taylor around the world. Early singles and other tracks appeared on several compilations over the next few years, and in 2015, his rarest album, Ebo Taylor & the Pelikans, got the grand reissue treatment. His early hit, the Ghana funk anthem "Come Along," made DJ playlists globally. In February 2016, at age 80, he opened the MOGO Festival's Nights with Music Greats. The gig proved to be a precursor for the deluxe reissue of his 1975 album, My Love and Music, on Mr. Bongo. In 2018, Taylor issued the album Yen Ara that saw him translating various strains of Fante music through contemporary Ghanaian highlife and experimenting with new rhythmic forms through horn-dominated compositions. At age 82, he supported it with a world tour. The following year, Mr. Bongo reissued Hitsville Re-Visited in May, while BBE Music released the Palaver album in September, that contained five unissued tracks from a (previously unknown) lost 1980 session.
Originally released in 1975 on Gapophone Records, George Prah’s label, hailing from Ghana. Only available in very limited quantity (reportedly 500 copies) due to the musical vacuum imposed by the military dictatorship in the country at the time.
Ebo Taylor is one of Ghana's finest producer/arrangers. Taylor was heavily influential in the unique sound that emerged from the country in the 70s - a combination of traditional Ghanaian with Afro- beat, jazz, and funk rhythms. He worked with bands including Stargazers Band, Broadway Dance Band, Black Star Highlife Band (with Teddy Osei and Sol Amarfio who later joined Osibisa), Apagya Show Band and fellow musicians C.K. Mann, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and the legendary Pat Thomas.
Laid back, lush, highlife vibrations from start to finish, with noticeable reggae influences throughout.
Extremely sweet and soulful music. It's actually kinda similar in spirit to Jamaican rocksteady, though structurally it's way closer to Afro Beat with those endless percussive grooves that go on forever. I know next to nothing about Highlife, but if that's what this is, I need to hear more of it.
01. Down River 2:20 02. Night Moves 5:25 03. Piccolo Boogie 4:30 04. Dream Something 3:37 05. It's So Easy Loving You 4:06 06. The Edge 2:16 07. The Caper 2:29 08. Ready To Run 1:37 09. The Scuffle 2:14 10. Song For A Pretty Girl 3:09
Bass – Neil Stubenhaus Drums – Steve Schaeffer Guitar – Mitch Holder, Tim May Keyboards – Mike Lang
Percussion – Paulinho Da Costa
Patrick Williams' score to the 1980 film How to Beat the High Cost of Living is a witty, engaging piece of jazzy fusion that surely ranks its composer as the Mancini of the fusion generation. The Williams soundtrack to Blonde (Playboy Jazz, 2001), proves that he even transcends the now less-than-critcally-acceptable fusion genre.
How to Beat the High Cost of Living is a pure delight through and through and the perfect accompaniment to this breezy, light-hearted film about three suburban housewives (Susan Saint James, Jane Curtin and Jessica Lange) who plot to rob a mall to get the cash they need to survive their suburban lifestyles.
Patrick - or "Pat" as he was known early in his career - Williams (b. 1939) has scored hundreds of films, TV movies and TV shows but was probably best known at the time for his rousing theme to the hit TV show, The Streets of San Francisco (1972-76).
In addition to the film soundtracks that bared his name at the time (Casey's Shadow, The One And Only), Williams had also been riding high on the success of work he did on Billy Joel's The Stranger (Columbia, 1978). Indeed, Williams has since gone onto to provide provocative settings for many other singers including Frank Sinatra (the Duets albums), Barbra Streisand, Paul Anka, Amy Grant, Vince Gill and Brian Setzer.
Williams, who is no relation to Hollywood's other Williams, had released four albums of pop-flavored orchestral jazz on Verve in the late 1960s and occasionally recorded such jazz-oriented albums as Carry On (A&R, 1971), Threshold (Capitol, 1973) and Come On And Shine (MPS, 1977 - aka Theme on Pausa), which features Williams' great disco title cut and his theme to the then well-known TV show Lou Grant (Williams also scored numerous episodes of Lou Grant's spin-off parent, The Mary Tyler Moore Show).
Many of Williams' records often front-lined prominent jazz soloists, such as Gerry Mulligan, Dave Grusin, Tom Scott, Eddie Daniels or trombonist Bill Watrous. Even his soundtracks give prominence to notable musicians (Dr. John, etc.), which is one reason why so many of his scores have found their way onto LP or CD. Williams also has a way with a tune, something that can perfectly underscore a scene on screen as well as stand on its own, spinning on a turntable in someone's living room.
Williams had it perfected by the time How to Beat the High Cost Of Living came around. The soundtrack was issued on Columbia Records, home at the time to flautist Hubert Laws, who is the perfect choice to perform Williams' sprite and effervescent little numbers, along with guitarist Earl Klugh, who would go on to helm Williams' other soundtracks to Marvin & Tige (Capitol, 1983) and Just Between Friends (Warner Bros., 1986).
Laws, a busy session player who had recently been featured in jazz settings on such soundtracks as California Suite (CBS Masterworks, 1978), A Hero Ain't Nothin' But A Sandwich (Columbia, 1978) and Flic ou Voyou (Universal, 1979), turns out to be an ideal and inspired match for Klugh.
The pair had previously been together behind guitarist George Benson on White Rabbit (CTI, 1971) and, more prominently, on three songs from the Bob James album Touchdown (Tappan Zee, 1978), which is probably what sparked Williams to pair the two together for his score (Klugh also appears on the Laws album Family (Columbia, 1980), recorded around the same as the Williams soundtrack).
Laws and Klugh are perfect together and backed here by a small group of L.A. session musicians including the ubiquitous Mike Lang on keyboards (the former Kenton/Zappa sideman became a fixture in Hollywood, and is heard on hundreds of film and TV soundtracks), Tim May and Mitch Holder on guitar, Neil Stubenhaus (who plays the distinctive slap bass which gives the main theme its drive) on bass, Steve Schaeffer on drums and Paulinho Da Costa on percussion.
Strings are briefly present on occasion as well ("Piccolo Boogie," "Dream Something," "It's So Easy Loving You," "The Caper" and "Song For A Pretty Girl").
Great music abounds here, from "Down River," the film's main theme, and the slow funk of "Night Moves" (good solos from Laws and Klugh) to the swinging and jazzy "The Edge" and the soundtrack-sounding "The Caper," which briefly cops a lick from "Rise," Herb Alpert's hit of the previous year that also featured Lang's keyboards.
Williams expertly crafts themes that not only work well in the film, but play to the strengths and the advantages of his soloists, notably on "Piccolo Boogie" for Laws and "Dream Something" and "It's So Easy Loving You" for Klugh. Laws, who is at his best here, garners more of the playing time than Klugh gets permitted. But the guitarist makes his parts count for something special each and every time he gets the chance.
I saw the film in 1980, immediately picked up the soundtrack album and its never been out of my collection since. Unfortunately, though, How to Beat the High Cost Of Living has never been issued on CD and - like too much of Williams' other works - has fallen through the cracks of time and been nearly forgotten about.
As Patrick Williams, Hubert Laws and Earl Klugh are still around making music and some of the music of the fusion era is making a comeback, perhaps some enterprising label like the great Wounded Bird Records will consider giving this long neglected gem a second life.
01. Ravel's Bolero 8:42 02. What A Night! 8:29 03. Wildfire 5:10 04. Family 7:32 05. Memories Of Minnie (Ripperton) 7:09 06. Say You're Mine 4:29
Acoustic Guitar – Earl Klugh Bass – Nathan East Clarinet, Soloist [Clarinet Solo] – Bill Draper Drums – Leon "Ndugu" Chancler Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes Piano] – Bobby Lyle Flute [Flute, Bass Flute], Piccolo Flute [Piccolo] – Hubert Laws Piano, Soloist [Acoustic Piano Solo] – Chick Corea Snare [Classical Snare Drum] – Timm Boatman
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Woody "Onaje" Murray
Let's see, how do I put this? I heard Laws' Bolero on my local public radio jazz station and that was all I needed. Ravel's Bolero is probably one of the few pieces of music that sends me, even without the need for mind-altering substances. I have it on my iPod and just got through listening to it while I was on the stairmaster at the Y. I think my strides-per-minute hit an all-time high.
Unfortunately, the rest of the CD gets kind of mired in what I can only describe as Barry White-ish background music. If Hubert would just trade the electric bass for a stand-up; lose the strings, trade the drummer's sticks for some brushes and drop the echo chamber effect, his beautiful flute would just come right through.
Claude Bolling / Hubert Laws 1978 California Suite
01. California (Main Title) 5:02 02. Love Theme From "California Suite" 6:58 03. Black Battle 3:36 04. Hanna's Daughter 1:16 05. Black Folks 4:16 06. Hanna's Theme 4:22 07. Academy Awards 4:00 08. Beverly Hills 5:07 09. California (End Credits) 2:25
Bass – Chuck Damonico Piano – Claude Bolling Drums – Shelly Manne Flute – Hubert Laws Flute, Soprano Saxophone – Bud Shank Guitar – Tommy Tedesco Piano – Ralph Grierson
I have been a HUGE fan of Claude Bolling's work since I was introduced to his "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio" back in mid-2001. Since then I have slowly tracked down his works and now have in CD format most of his post-1975 compositions. "California Suite" is enjoyable enough, but overall it lacks the richness and depth of Bolling's other works. Now, having said that, "California Suite" is also a Hubert Laws CD. Laws is a wonderfully diverse flutist whose skill crosses between classical, jazz, rhythm-and-blues, and pop in a more lively way than, say Sir James Galway, whose flawless flutistry has thrilled the masses while clearly remaining in its own musical universe. I was unaware when I purchased the CD that it was the soundtrack to Neil Simon's 1978 movie of the same name, which may be part of the reason why I have to give a three-star rating to the music. Laws' touch on the pieces is most enjoyable, Bollings' piano and composition is stellar, but overall the CD is brief, frenetic, and lacks the flow anticipated by Bolling's other compositions.
I didn't like this the first time I listened to it but upon successive listening, it's become one of my favorite Bolling collaborations. Laws, of course, does a stellar job but Bolling's plays the piano a little differently on this than he does on the other albums he's made. In fact, I find this album too short and always wish they'd have played on longer.
01. Music Forever 5:13 02. Land Of Passion 5:45 03. We're In Ecstacy 7:07 04. Heartbeats 6:34 05. The Key 6:55 06. We Will Be 4:36
Bass – Bobby Vega (tracks: B3), James Jameson Brass – Bobby Bryant, Snooky Young, Oscar Brashear, Raymond Brown Cello – Nils Oliver, Raymond Kelly, Ron Cooper Drums – Leon ''Ndugu'' Chancler, Raymond Pounds (tracks: B3) Flute, [Alto] Flute – Hubert Laws Guitar – Melvin Robinson (tracks: B3), Pat Kelley (tracks: B3), Roland Bautista Percussion – Victor Feldman Piano – Barnaby Finch (tracks: B3), Patrice Rushen Saxophone – Ronnie Laws Strings – Arnold Belnick, Bonnie Douglas, Dorothy Wade, Endre Granat, Janice Dower, Marcia Van Dyke, Paul Shure, Robert Sushel, Sandy Seymour Synthesizer – Larry Dunn Synthesizer [Moog] – Ronnie Laws (tracks: B3) Trombone – Benny Powell, Garnett Brown, Maurice Spears Vocals – Blanch Laws, Debra Laws, Eloise Laws, Johnny Laws
This album was recorded in October and December, 1978.
When Columbia released Land of Passion in 1979, the album received scathing reviews from jazz critics. They knew Hubert Laws for his work as a jazz instrumentalist, and for the most part, Land of Passion isn't instrumental jazz -- it isn't hard bop, post-bop, or even fusion. The main focus of this LP is mellow, mildly jazzy R&B/pop (with the occasional instrumental). So serious jazz standards shouldn't be applied. Unfortunately, the critics who trashed Land of Passion did apply serious jazz standards, which is sort of like a food critic lambasting an Italian restaurant because it doesn't provide Vietnamese or Cambodian cuisine. Land of Passion needs to be judged by R&B/pop and quiet storm standards, and when those standards are applied, one has to say that this record is likable but not mind-blowing. Laws was obviously going after the quiet storm crowd when he recorded gentle tunes like "Music Forever" and "We're in Ecstasy." Arguably, quiet storm music falls into two main categories: R&B/pop vocals (Luther Vandross, Phyllis Hyman, Anita Baker) and R&B-minded crossover jazz (Grover Washington, Jr., David Sanborn, Lonnie Liston Smith). For the most part, this LP (which had yet to be reissued on CD when the 21st century arrived) falls into the former category, although it does contain two gently funky instrumentals: "We Will Be" and "Heartbeats." Neither are masterpieces, but they have a lot more substance and integrity than the sort of elevator Muzak that Kenny G and Richard Elliot were known for in the 1980s and 1990s. Not one of Laws' essential releases, Land of Passion must be taken for what it is: a pleasant but unremarkable collection of mood music.
01. The Baron 5:51 02. False Faces 6:20 03. Love Gets Better 5:05 04. It Happens Every Day 7:38 05. Say It With Silence 8:19
Drums – Gregory Errico Electric Bass – Robert Vega Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Barnaby E. Finch Flute, Piccolo Flute – Hubert Laws Percussion – Victor Feldman Rhythm Guitar – Melvin Robinson Soloist, Guitar – Patrick Kelley Synthesizer [Arp] – Jerry Peters Trombone – Garnet Brown, Maurice Spears, Thurman A. Green
Trumpet – Bobby Bryant, Snooky Young, Ray Brown
Lush and silky album by the man, did not like it a lot when it came out but it has grown on me over the decades, maybe you just need dome life experience to really appreciate some albums, that was something my grandfather said to me when I was about 12 and into metal and nothing else. The cover photo of the album always reminded me one of those photoshoots of soft porn magazines from the 70's my grandfather had hidden under his bed, but I digress. Just pour yourself some single malt, sit back and enjoy this one.
01. Modadji 12:10 02. Feel Like Making Love 6:14 03. Farandole (L'Arlesienne Suite #2) 10:58 04. Scheherazade 8:20
Bass – Gary King Bass [String Bass] – Jeffrey Neighbor, Michelle Burr Bass Trombone – Maurice Spears Cello – Amy Radner, Joel Cohen , Margaret Moores, Mary Anne Meredith, Richard Eade, Terry Adams Drums – Harvey Mason Flute – Hubert Laws French Horn – Jeremy Merrill, Stuart Gronningen Guitar – Glen Deardorff Harp – Randall Pratt Keyboards – Bob James Trombone – Daniel Livesay, George Bohanon Trumpet – Allen Smith, Snooky Young, Frederick Berry, Oscar Brashear Viola – Albert White, Arthur Bauch, Don Ehrlich, Hope Bauch, Nancy Ellis, Thomas Heimberg Violin – Alexander Horvath, Anne Crowden, Ardeen De Camp, Beth Gibson, Carl Pedersen, Daniel Kobialka, Donna Lerew, Frances Schorr, Greg Mazmanian, Judith Poska, Myra Bucky, Ruggiero Pelosi, Verne Sellin, Virginia Baker, Zaven Melikian Violin, Concertmaster – Nathan Rubin
Recorded at Paramount Theatre, Oakland, California October 4, 1975.
Review by Jimmy James:
I first heard this album on a flight from LA to NY back in August 1977, and soon thereafter purchased a copy at the local record store (yup, vinyl was still king back in the mid-'70s). This live recording of jazz fautist Hubert Laws with the SFSO was captured very well -- it has a good mix of ambient and direct micing, so you get a sense of the room as well as Hubert's flute and the orchestra.
Now I'm a guitar player and I must confess that I don't listen to a whole lotta flute music. Back in 1977 I was listening to alot of LA studio session players' solo albums, like Lee Ritenour's "Captain Fingers," Larry Carlton's many sides with The Crusaders and Steely Dan, and Robben Ford's "The Inside Story." What I am trying to say is that, you'd think some guitar dude would be the least likely candidate to enjoy an album of Hubert Laws with the SFSO, but the truth is the exact opposite. This is a great album of music, with solid arrangements, and a remarkably nice "fit" between the jazzier Laws and the more classical SFSO.
The tune that captured my attention first was Laws' interpretation of Roberta Flack's classic "Feel Like Making Love To You;" Hubert's endlessly creative embelishment of the melody is truly a thing of beauty. Laws can swing hard or he can swing more gently, but he always has at least a touch of swing in his playing, even on the classical-sounding "Sheherezade."
01. Undecided 6:07 02. Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again 8:07 03. Forlane 4:11 04. Romeo & Juliet 7:41 05. What Are We Gonna Do? 5:30 06. Guatemala Connection 5:43
Bass – Gary King Clavinet – Mark Gray (tracks: B3) Clavinet, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Bob James Drums – Andy Newmark, Steve Gadd (tracks: A1) Flute [Alto & Bass], Piccolo Flute – Hubert Laws Guitar – Barry Finnerty (tracks: A2 to A3, B3), Eric Gale (tracks: A1 to A2, B2 to B3), Richie Resnicoff (tracks: B2 to B3), Steve Kahn (tracks: B1) Percussion – Ralph MacDonald Strings – Alan Shulman, Alfred Brown, Barry Sinclair, Charles McCracken, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Emanuel Vardi, Guy Lumia, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Max Pollikoff, Paul Gershman, Seymour Barab Trombone – Alan Raph, David Taylor, Wayne Andre Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Alan Rubin, Bernie Glow, Jon Faddis, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker
Voice – Denise Wigfall, Kenneth Coles, Robin Wilson, Shirley Thompson
I just love this album. I have owned the original album since 1979 and when my eyes fell on the CD in one of our local shops about seven years ago now, I didn't have to think twice and bought it straight away. I still love to listen to it once every so often. The recording quality is just superb, especially on the acoustic recordings! A jazzfunk masterpiece, with a great rythm section (Andy Newmark and Ralph MacDonald), funky bass (Gary King), Bob James on keyboards and the cool and sophisticated flute of the man himself. Huberts interpretations of Ravel's 'Forlane' and Tchaikovsky's 'Romeo and Juliet' are just awsome. Played with tremendous virtuosity, perfect timing and outstanding deliverance! If you are in to jazz and funk but you love your classical music too, you are going to be hooked, I know I am!
01. The Chicago Theme (Love Loop) 5:37 02. Midnight At The Oasis 5:28 03. You Make Me Feel Brand New 5:50 04. Going Home 5:04 05. I Had A Dream 6:00 06. Inflation Chaser 6:00
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn Bass – Doug Bascomb Guitar – Joe Beck, Phil Upchurch, George Benson, Eric Gale, Richie Resnicoff Bass – Ron Carter Clavinet – Bob James Piano – Bob James Bass – Stanley Clarke Drums – Andrew Smith Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – Mike Brecker Cello – Alan Shulman, George Ricci Drums – Steve Gadd Flute – Hubert Laws Keyboards – Don Grolnick Percussion – Ralph MacDonald Trumpet – Randy Brecker Viola – Al Brown, Manny Vardi Violin – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gayle Dixon, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman
Hubert Laws made his finest recordings playing arrangements by Don Sebesky. Unfortunately, starting with this project, Bob James began to take over the writing chores, and the flutist's recordings became much more commercial. Rather than performing with a small group, as he did on his best sessions, Laws is joined by strings and funky rhythm sections playing now-dated commercial grooves. The six selections (which include James' forgettable "Chicago Theme," "Midnight at the Oasis" and Dvorák's "Going Home") are listenable, but nothing special. The only reason to acquire this out of print LP is for Laws' still-superb flute playing.
01. In The Beginning 6:52 02. Restoration 8:57 03. Gymnopedie #1 3:58 04. Come Ye Disconsolate 5:19 05. Airegin 5:29 06. Moment's Notice 6:54 07. Reconciliation 10:06 08. Mean Lene 15:35
Bass – Ron Carter Cello – George Ricci Drums – Steve Gadd Flute – Hubert Laws Guitar – Gene Bertoncini Organ, Strings – Richard Tee (tracks: B2) Percussion – Airto Percussion, Vibraphone – Dave Friedman Piano – Bob James (tracks: A2, B1 to B3, C1, C2, D1), Clare Fischer (tracks: A1, D1), Rodgers Grant (tracks: D1) Tenor Saxophone – Ronnie Laws Viola – Emanuel Vardi
Violin – David Nadien
The release of a double album during the LP-era could be a double-edged sword. This format provided a platform for artists to elaborate on their ideas and serve a hefty portion of music to their fans and potential followers, but a single record forced musicians to self-edit a bit more, making them more likely to come out at the other end with a concise artistic statement. Flautist Hubert Laws' In The Beginning, hitting shelves again as part of the fourth wave of the CTI Masterworks reissue campaign, is the perfect example of an album that can be viewed from both sides of this issue.
Some people regard this album as the crown jewel in Laws' catalog, but others would take the brevity and soulful beauty of an album like Morning Star (CTI, 1972) over this weighty package. A 63-minute listening affair wouldn't turn many heads today, with plenty of jazz releases going well-beyond that length, but even a label such as CTI, with its large-than-life attitude, didn't put together such bulging record packages very often. Taylor's affection for, and faith in, Hubert Laws was made clear with this release, and the flautist seized the opportunity and created one of the most diverse and wide-ranging statements that both he and CTI ever released.
The title track is the perfect example of the multiple-personalities present in this music. This piece opens the album with a section of music that sounds like a meeting of free jazz and classical composer Anton Webern, arrives at a slow-and-bluesy place, and even touches on a funk feel along the way. In other places, Laws is more likely to hold firm to a single ideal, allowing rising-and-falling tides of energy and natural evolution to account for any changes in the topography of a performance. "Restoration"—which opens with some sensitive vibraphone work from Dave Friedman, contains a theme that comes off like an attractive bluesy version of an English carol, and heats up during Laws' solo—is a prime example of music built in this fashion. While newly arranged versions of classical music had become a predictable part of many CTI packages by the time this album was released, that fact doesn't diminish the beauty found on the performance of Erik Satie's "Gymnopedie No.1" here.
Laws dips into the soul-gospel well for a performance of "Come Ye Disconsolate," which is buoyed by the organ work of session legend and Stuff band member Richard Tee, and the album reaches its climax with his nod toward tenor saxophonists Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. Rollins' "Airegin" is a drums and flute affair, with Steve Gadd providing a busy bottom for Laws flute to work over; but Coltrane's "Moment's Notice," which features some fine saxophone work from the flautist's brother, Ronnie Laws, gets the whole band in on the action.
If Laws had been forced to trim the length of the album, the final two tracks would have been likely victims, left to perish on the cutting room floor. The 10-minute long "Reconciliation" is more of a platform for soloing than anything else, and Laws' Brazil-to-Cuba journey with stop-overs in swing country ("Mean Lene"), while far more enjoyable than its predecessor, wears out its welcome with a 15-minute lifespan. After all is said and done, and despite the fact that the album roams long and far on certain pieces, In The Beginning still stands the test of time and can be viewed as one of the great achievements in the CTI catalog, and in the career of flute master Hubert Laws.
01. Detour Ahead 7:55 02. Goodbye 9:17 03. Old Devil Moon 5:46 04. SKJ 6:45 05. Opus De Funk 6:41
Bass – Ron Carter Drums – Billy Cobham (tracks: B2), Steve Gadd (tracks: A1, A2, B1, B3) Flute – Hubert Laws Piano – Cedar Walton (tracks: A1, A2, B1, B3), Herbie Hancock (tracks: B2) Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard (tracks: B2) Vibraphone [Vibes] – Milt Jackson
Recorded December, 1973 except SKJ recorded December, 1972
By 1967, Creed Taylor was a veteran of the music industry. He had worked numerous record labels, including Bethlehem, ABC and Verve. However in 1967, Creed Taylor left Verve to join Herb Albert and Jerry Moss’ A&M Records. This was something of a coup for A&M Records, as Creed Taylor had an impressive track record.
At ABC, Creed founded one of jazz’s most influential labels, Impulse! and signed John Coltrane in 1960. With one of the legends of jazz onboard, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp would then sign to Verve. Impulse! would go on to release some of the most innovative and influential jazz of the sixties. By then, Creed Taylor had moved on to Verve in 1961.
Now working for Verve Records, Creed Taylor introduced bossa nova to America. Creed signed artists like Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz. Their music caught the attention of Charlie Byrd and Dizzy Gillespie. Soon, Verve Records was one of the most successful jazz labels. However, after six years at Verve Records, Creed Taylor was on the move.
He signed to A&M in 1967. That’s where CTi Records was born. Originally, CTi Records was an imprint of A&M. A&M was responsible for distributing CTi Records’ releases. That was the case right through until 1969, when Creed Taylor left A&M. The following year, CTi Records become an independent record company.
Many people saw Creed Taylor’s decision to leave A&M as risky. Not Creed Taylor though. He saw it as a carefully calculated risk. Music was about to change. Especially jazz music. Creed Taylor foresaw the and was determined that CTi Records would be at the forefront of this change. So he began signing some of the most talented jazz musicians of that time to CTi Records. This included Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock. Another artist that Creed Taylor signed to Cti Records in 1970, was forty-seven year old vibes player Milt Jackson.
He would spend three years at CTi Records, and released a trio of albums. This included Sunflower and Goodbye, which have been digitally remastered, and were recently released by BGO Records on one CD. On both Sunflower and Goodbye, Milt Jackson’s is joined by an all-star band, which features many other artists signed to CTi Records.
By the time Milt Jackson signed to CTi Records, he was a musical veteran. He had released thirty-six albums, including collaborations with some of the biggest names in jazz. John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, Wes Montgomery, Oscar Peterson and Ray Charles had all collaborated with Milt Jackson. His first collaboration on an album came in 1948.
Milt Jackson was then twenty-five. He was born in Detroit on 1st January 1923. Music was omnipresent in the Jackson household. It played an important part in everyday. So did the church, where Milt Jackson would later sing gospel.
Before that, Milt Jackson began searching for the right musical instrument for him. This search began when seven year old Milt Jackson began to play the guitar. Then when he was eleven Milt switched to piano. However, when Milt started at Miller High School, he began playing drums and then timpani and violin. Somehow, Milt even found time to sing in the school choir. By the time he was sixteen, Milt began touring with the gospel group the Evangelist Singers. However, that wasn’t where his future lay.
For sixteen year old Milt Jackson, hearing Lionel Hampton playing the vibraphone in Benny Goodman’s band, changed not just his musical direction, but his life. Realising that the vibraphone was the instrument for him, Milt Jackson spent the next few years dedicating himself to learning how to play the vibes. This paid off.
In 1945, Milt Jackson was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie, and he became a member of his sextet. Before long, Milt was a familiar face in Dizzy Gillespie’s bands. This was something of a coup for the young vibes player, and certainly got him noticed. Milt went on to Milt play alongside Woody Herman, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Howard McGhee, with whom he recorded an album in 1948
Trumpeter Howard McGhee and Milt Jackson entered the studio in 1948 to record an album. They were joined by some of the top musicians of the day. Together, they recorded twelve tracks, which eventually, were released as Howard McGhee and Milt Jackson in 1955. Little did Milt Jackson realise that this was the first of a prolific career.
Milt Jackson’s career would eventually spanned six decades. His recording career began in earnest in 1952. By then, Milt had formed the Milt Jackson Quartet in 1950. It would later become the Modern Jazz Quartet, which right through until 1974, when it disbanded, would released ambitious and groundbreaking music. Still, though Milt managed to juggle his solo career with his would within the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Two years after the formation of the the Milt Jackson Quartet, its founder released his solo debut album, Wizard of the Vibes. It featured music recorded between 1948 and 1952. Three years later, and the Milt Jackson Quartet released their eponymous debut album on Prestige. The following year, was one of the most productive of Milt’s early career.
During 1956, Milt Jackson released a quartet of solo albums. By then, Milt had acquired the nickname Bags, after arriving at a gig with bags under his eyes. They were the result of too many nights carousing into the early others. However, Milt’s new nickname provided inspiration for many an album title, including Roll ‘Em Bags. It featured music that had been recorded between 1949 and 1956; while Meet Milt Jackson had been recorded between 1954 and 1956. Milt’s other releases were Opus de Jazz and The Jazz Skyline. They showcased Milt Jackson as developed and blossomed as an artist. That would be the case throughout the remainder of the fifties.
When Milt Jackson released Plenty, Plenty Soul in 1957, it proved to be his final release for Savoy. He would move to Atlantic Records, and later in 1957, released Plenty, Plenty Soul and Bags and Flutes. Milt continued to be a prolific solo artist, but still somehow, found time to record with the Modern Jazz Quartet and collaborate with other artists.
This included recording Soul Brothers with Ray Charles in 1958. Then in 1959, Milt Jackson recorded Bean Bags with Coleman Hawkins. That year, Milt released his last solo album of the fifties, Bags’ Opus. It’s regarded as one of the finest album Milt recorded for Atlantic Records during the late fifties. The Atlantic Records’ years continued into the sixties.
As the sixties dawned, Milt Jackson released Bags and Trane, his collaboration with John Coltrane in 1960. It was regarded as was one of Milt’s best collaborations, and featured a series of stellar performance from both men. The other album Milt released during 1960, was The Ballad Artistry Of Milt Jackson, where he works his way through a series of standards. Alas it wasn’t one of Milt’s finest hours. Reviews of the the album were mixed.
Milt’s next album was another high profile collaboration.
This was Soul Meeting, a collaboration between Milt Jackson and Ray Charles. It was released in 1961, the year Milt’s time at Atlantic Records drew to a close. For the rest of 1961, he released albums on a variety of labels.
Among them, were Verve, who released Very Tall, Milt Jackson’s collaboration with jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. It was released in 1961, the same year that Milt released Statements on Impulse! However, it was Milt’s 1961 collaboration with Wes Montgomery, Bags Meets Wes! that resulted in him finding a new home, Riverside.
It was home for Milt Jackson for the next few years. Milt released Big Bigs and Invitation during 1962. For Someone I Love followed in 1963, with Milt Jackson Quintet Live at the Village Gate being released in 1964. By then, Milt had moved on again.
The next few years saw Milt Jackson flit between labels big and small. He released Jazz ‘N’ Samba on Impulse in 1964, and somewhat belatedly, Atlantic Records released Vibrations, which had been recorded in 1960 and 1961. That was when Atlantic Records was home for Milt. Not anymore. Home was now the Limelight label, which released In A New Setting in 1964. This would home for Milt for the next couple of years. Before that though, Milt would on the collaboration trail.
During 1964, released three collaborations. This included Milt Jackson with Orchestra Enrico Intra’s album Sings. Milt Jackson and Sonny Still collaborated on the album In The Beginning. However, the third collaboration was with Ray Brown, and would become Milt’s most productive and longest lasting musical of the sixties.
It was in 1964 that Milt Jackson and Ray Brown released the first of two collaborations on Verve, Much in Common. This was followed by Ray Brown-Milt Jackson. The other album Milt released during 1965 was Milt Jackson At The Museum of Modern Art. Just like In A New Setting, it was released on Limelight, which had become Milt’s new home. Limelight released Born Free in 1966, which was his swan-song for the label.
Milt Jackson returned in 1968 with a new ensemble, Milt Jackson and the Hip String Quartet. It included Hubert Laws who Ron Carter, who Milt would join forces with at Creed Taylor’s CTi Records. That was two years down the line.
efore that, Milt Jackson and Ray Brown released a trio of collaborations during 1969. That’s the Way It Is and Just the Way It Had to Be were live albums. The other album Memphis Jackson, was a studio album which featured an all-star cast, that included the Ray Brown Big Band. Despite the illustrious array of talent on display, critics weren’t impressed. It was an inauspicious end to the sixties.
During the sixties, Milt Jackson had been a prolific artist. Not only had released numerous solo albums, but he had continually collaborated. Then there was the albums Milt had recorded with the Modern Jazz Quartet. They recorded throughout the sixties, and were equally prolific. Despite this, the Modern Jazz Quartet were no longer regarded by the latest generation of jazz aficionados as pioneers. Instead, fusion was King where jazz was concerned.
Fusion was a marriage of jazz, funk and rock and psychedelia, that had been born in the late sixties. Among its founding fathers were Gary Burton, Larry Coryell and Miles Davis. They brought onboard Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock. With some of jazz’s big hitters joining the fusion revolution, Creed Taylor began signing some of this musical movement’s leading lights to CTi Records. However, Creed Taylor wasn’t just signing artists who played fusion. He had signed jazz guitarist George Benson and several Bossa Nova artists. His latest signing in 1970, was forty-seven year old Milt Jackson.
Signing to CTi Records was a no-brainer for Milt Jackson. He had been drifting for the last few years, and latterly, hadn’t reached the heights of his early career. Maybe Creed Taylor could rejuvenate his Milt’s career? CTi Records was regarded as a label that was going places. It was also a label that was home to some of the best and most innovative jazz musicians of a generation. These musicians would happily switch between bandleader and sidemen.
In the case of Milt Jackson, he made his CTi Records’ debut on Stanley Turrentine’s Cherry. He was one of the guest artists on the album when it was recorded in May 1972. Then seven months later, on the 12th and 13th December 1972, Milt Jackson released his CTi Records’ debut Sunflower.
After the success of Sunflower, Creed Taylor sent Milt Jackson into the studio to record another album in December 1973. Milt Jackson and his band would record four new songs. This included the he Milt Jackson penned S.K.J. and the jazz standard Old Devil Moon. Detour Ahead had been penned by Lou Crter, Herb Ellis and Johnny Frigo, while Goodbye was a Gordon Jenkins composition that for many a year, had been the closing song to the Benny Goodman Orchestra’s show. These tracks were recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey during December, 1973.
Joining Milt Jackson this time round was a much smaller band, than last time. The sextet featured a rhythm section of drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Ron Carter, plus pianist Cedar Walton, flautist Hubert Laws and Milt Jackson on vibes. Creed Taylor again produced Goodbye. These four tracks would form the basis of Goodbye.
There were tracks from the Sunflower sessions that hadn’t been used. The best of these tracks was the Horris Silver composition Opus de Funk. It had been recorded on December 12th 1972, at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs. That day, the lineup featured drummer Billy Cobham, pianist Herbie Hancock, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and Milt Jackson on vibes. Now Sunflower was complete, and would be released later in 1974.
When critics received a copy of Goodbye, it was credited to Milt Jackson with Hubert Laws. That was no surprise to those who heard the album. The Houston born flautist had played such an important role in the sound and success of album. None more so that than the languid, dreamy take on Old Devil Moon. It just meanders along beautifully, with Hubert Laws’ flute and Milt Jackson’s vibes playing leading roles.The rhythm section play slowly and carefully, never overplaying and always leaving space for the soloists. It’s a similar case on S.K.J., with its bop stylings. As it meanders along, Cedar Walton’s piano and the vibes playing starring roles, as an element of funk is introduced later as S.K.J. starts to groove and swing. Mostly, though, jazz is to the fore on S.K.J. Soon, though, the tempo rises.
Opus de Funk finds Milt Jackson and his band stretching their legs. The tempo rise on this oft covered hard bop number. With Steve Gadd’s drums propelling the arrangement along, a glorious and smoking slice of jazz unfolds. However, on Detour Ahead the tempo drops. Milt and his band take the opportunity to explore the track’s subtleties and nuances. That’s the case throughout from the opening bars to the closing notes, when the band never miss a beat. All too soon, Milt Jackson bids the audience Goodbye on the mid-tempo title-track.Just like the previous track, everyone more than plays their part in the sound and success of Goodbye. However, when the solos come round, Hubert Laws steals the show, with pianist Cedar Walton deserving an honourable mention. Milt seems content and secure enough, to allow other members of the band shine. He knows it’s for the greater good, and that it’s his name that’s on Goodbye. It was released later in 1974.
When Goodbye was released, most of the reviews were positive. The reinvention of Milt Jackson continued, on album where elements of post bop, hard bop and funk. This results in music that swings, and is melodic, harmonic and full of subtleties, surprises and nuances. Goodbye is also an accomplished and polished album, from a band that features seasoned jazzers. Despite this, Goodbye failed to replicate the commercial success of Sunflower. Goodbye still found an audience, but not like Milt, Creed Tylor and everyone at CTi Records had hoped. It was disappointing commercially, considering Sunflower had been Milt Jackson’s biggest selling album.
01. Windows / Fire And Rain 15:30 02. Passacaglia In C Minor 20:42
Bass – Ron Carter Bassoon – Dave Miller Drums – Billy Cobham, Freddie Waits Electric Piano, Piano – Bob James Flute – Hubert Laws Guitar – Gene Bertoncin Vibraphone – David Friedman
Recorded at Carnegie Hall January 12, 1973
Hubert Laws' 1974 Carnegie Hall concert is one of CTI's greatest releases and one of the rarest. Available on CD only in this King Records version issued in Japan, the music is both melodic and hypnotic. The leader's complex solos and clear tone are testimony to Laws' superb musicianship at a career peak. The flutist is supported by Ron Carter's virtuoso bass (a highlight is an outstanding solo on side B). Billy Cobham's fluid and subtle cymbal work is one of the record's highlights (Cobham's contribution was reportedly recorded in post production at Rudy van Gelder's studios; the recording quality itself is of a very high standard). Gene Bertoncini and Bob James are among the other great players making this one of CTI's most enduring records. I have gotten well over thirty years of enjoyment from this record and it still rewards each listening. Highly recommended.
01. Morning Star 7:54 02. Let Her Go 4:50 03. Where Is The Love 4:34 04. No More 5:00 05. Amazing Grace 7:20 06. What Do You Think Of This World Now? 6:00
Bass – Ron Carter Bassoon – Jack Knitzer Cello – Charles McCracken, George Koutzen, Lucien Schmit Drums – Billy Cobham Electric Piano – Bob James Flute, Alto Flute, Clarinet – Phil Bodner Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute – Hubert Laws Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute, English Horn – Romeo Penque French Horn – Jim Buffington Guitar – John Tropea Harp – Gloria Agostini Percussion – David Friedman, Ralph MacDonald Trombone – Garnett Brown Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Alan Rubin, Marvin Stamm Vibraphone – David Friedman Violin – David Nadien, Elliot Rosoff, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Irving Spice, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman Vocals – Eloise Laws, Lani Groves, Tasha Thomas Vocals – Debra Laws
After the success of 1970's Afro-Classic, Hubert Laws re-teamed with arranger/conductor Don Sebesky for 1972's Morning Star, his third date for producer Creed Taylor's CTI. Laws' sidemen for the date included Ron Carter on bass, Bob James on electric piano, Billy Cobham and Ralph McDonald on drums, guitarist John Tropea, and vibraphonist/percussionist Dave Friedman. Rather than follow up Afro-Classic with another program of primarily classical numbers, Taylor, Laws, and Sebesky employed a large string, wind, and brass ensemble and went to the pop-jazz side of the spectrum. The title track of this gorgeous set is a laid-back, lilting jazz tune with Laws' flute introducing the melody, followed by a tight, economical yet lengthy and expressive James solo and the winds flowing in momentarily before the brass explodes into a gorgeous swing before disappearing again very quickly. James' solo flows through both beautifully. Laws' own break is impressionistic, yet full of elemental swing and classical flourishes. On the beautifully textured reading of "Where Is the Love," Laws' flute plays and darts soulfully around the melody as James colors the margins and Carter ushers in a groove change with his diligent lines accenting Cobham's backbeat. The strings, sweet as they are, underscore rather than overpower the band, adding an entirely different dimension to the arrangement. The reading of "Amazing Grace" is introduced slowly by Laws playing the melody in the lower register. James joins him on the changes before the strings enter sparsely at the minute mark. They color Laws' flute with elegance and a touch of Celtic hymnody. A harp duets with Laws on the third verse; violins and cellos brighten it sparely. When Carter enters, the tempo picks up; the mood changes instantly. It begins to sway, shimmer, and shift, reaching nearly transcendent heights of expression before it all quiets down to Laws' flute unaccompanied, improvising on Bach before returning to the folk roots of the song. These are just the highlights; Morning Star is a joy all the way through, whether it's in the bluesy soul-jazz of "No More" or the occasionally abstract "What Do You Think of This World Now?," which riffs on "America the Beautiful." It's Laws at his very best; it helped define the essence of CTI.
Bass – Ron Carter Flute – Hubert Laws Congas – Mongo Santamaria Drums – Bernard Purdie, Mongo Santamaria Percussion – Airto, Joe Chambers, Warren Smith Piano – Chick Corea Vibraphone – Gary Burton
Hubert Laws plays flawlessly and sensitively as usual, but the record really belongs to John Murtaugh. Murtaugh came up as a Los Angeles tenorist in the 1950's but made his reputation as a writer. The program was thoughtfully considered. Each composition has its own identity and feeling. Taken together there is variety and balance. Five tunes feature Murtaugh's magnificent string writing.
The string sound is dry and tart, not lush and not violin-dominated. The cello parts are notable. Bassists Richard Davis and Ron Carter play together magically in the ensemble, serving as a bridge between the strings and the rhythm section. On "Ashante" they carry on a dialogue over pedal-point strings. The modal "Yoruba" is the only piece without strings—four percussionists are substituted. The session's most rhythmically evolved composition, the tune goes though several tempos and rhythms and includes a Laws-Corea duet. For those who sweat the little stuff the studio players were the best of their time as a glance at their names reveals. This music would not be nearly as successful without their inspired ensemble work.
01. Pavane 02. The Rite Of Spring 03. Syrinx 04. Brandenburg Concerto No.3 (First Movement) 05. Brandenburg Concerto No.3 (Second Movement)
Guitar – Stuart Scharf Bass – Ron Carter Bassoon – Wally Kane Drums – Jack DeJohnette Flute – Hubert Laws Guitar – Gene Bertoncini Percussion – Airto Moreira Piano, Electric Piano, Harpsichord [Electric] – Bob James Producer – Creed Taylor Vibraphone, Percussion – David Friedman
Long before Wynton decided he could play classical chops as well as the real long-haired interpreters, even though he was a jazz musician, Hubert Laws and his partners at CTI gave it a run with a jazz twist, and for the most part with a far more adventurous repertoire. Unfortunately, the results were just about as thrilling as Wynton's, with a few notable exceptions. For whatever reason, flutist Hubert Laws, known for his soul-jazz deftness, decided to take on handful of classical texts with the help of Bob James on piano, harpsichord, and electric piano; bassist Ron Carter, who doubles on cello; and drummer Jack DeJohnette, along with percussionists Airto and David Friedman, a pair of classical guitarists, and a trio of bassoonists. The program ranges from Debussy's lovely "Syrinx" and Faure's "Pavane," to Stravinsky on the title cut and two movements of the third Brandberg Concerto by Bach. The problem with so much variation and ambition is that it's bound to get caught up somewhere. That catching place is in the articulation of the actual transcriptions. They are stiff, rigid, oddly intoned, and lackluster -- except in Debussy's "Syrinx," which is gorgeous throughout with its strange meter and lilting cadence. On the rest, the only place the tunes work is in the sections where the players engage in jazz improvisation upon the score, which is a swirling, engaging free-for-all of color, texture, and nuance. But since this happens so irregularly, the pieces just seem to grate on the listener. This is a brave but ultimately failed experiment.
01. Fire And Rain 7:55 02. Allegro From Concerto #3 In D 3:40 03. Theme From Love Story 7:25 04. Passacaglia In C Minor 15:10 05. Flute Sonata In F 3:15
Bass – Ron Carter Bassoon – Fred Alston, Jr. Drums – Fred Waits Electric Piano – Bob James Flute – Hubert Laws Guitar – Gene Bertoncini Percussion – Airto, Richie "Pablo" Landrum Vibraphone – David Friedman
Recorded December 1970 at Van Gelder Studios
Another classic from the CTI (Creed Taylor Incorporated) catalogue, revived on state of the art vinyl by Speakers Corner. These are beautiful, lucid recordings engineered by the great Rudy Van Gelder in December 1970, featuring flautist Hubert Laws as leader. Laws had begun recording his own albums at Atlantic (also the home of Herbie Mann, the other leading exponent of jazz flute) before being lured away by Creed Taylor. Laws’s jazz credentials are flawless, but he also had a considerable presence in the world of classical music — having studied at Juilliard before playing with the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera orchestras. The ‘Classic’ in the title alludes to Laws’s interest in classical music, and in this pursuit he’s aided signifcantly by Don Sebesky, one of CTI’s cornerstone arrangers. Sebesky was a graduate of the Tommy Dorsey and Stan Kenton big bands and had already scored big (in every sense) for Creed Taylor with his work on some best selling Wes Montgomery albums.
But before the classical explorations we’re treat to an astonishing version of James Taylor’s Fire and Rain. The hesitant lyricism of Laws’s flute sings the theme against a menacing drone of the bass (Ron Carter) and some ominous fragments of percussion (Airto and Richie ‘Pablo’ Landrum) which suggest the darker aspects of the song, before the childlike purity of electric piano by Bob James, echoed by Laws’s flute, profoundly changes the mood. A staccato stutter of military drums (Fred Waits) and fluttering flute effect another transformation. A sustained linear note from Laws fractures into coloured shards and precedes the most striking development in the piece. The song turns into an hallucinogenic tapestry of electronica, combining Gene Bertoncini’s guitar, David Friedman’s fuzz pedal vibes and Bob James’s keyboards and ends with an amazing, sustained electronic shimmer. An acid era masterpiece.
Bach’s Passacaglia In C Minor opens with the powerful, dark murmurings of Ron Carter’s bass, which provides soft shadowed slopes for the bright skating of Bob James’ electric piano. Gene Bertoncini is also a master of the acoustic guitar, as he demonstrates here, and he’s accompanied by Carter doubling on electric cello. Bertoncini’s strumming, Laws’s downward-spiralling flute and Bob James’s descending scales on the electric piano intertwine virtuosically. Meanwhile Airto and Landrum’s catchy ethnic percussion provide some of the ‘Afro’ of the album’s title. James plays his keyboards with a forceful percussive drive which pushes them to the edge of distortion and Fred Waits works alchemy with his drum kit. Bertoncini swaps to electric guitar, Carter saws sour-sweet country licks on the electric cello. Then frayed, worrying phrases played by Laws on electric flute take the piece in a fascinating new direction. Bertoncini returns for a lonely coda on acoustic guitar, ghosted by Carter’s bass before the ensemble returns, joined by Friedman’s vibes.
Attempts at ‘jazz meets classical music’ can go horribly wrong, but the poised beauty and understated elegance of the Passacaglia suggests that it’s a viable form after all. This entire album is also noteworthy for highlighting how effective and utterly musical even the oddest electric instruments can be, when used by the right players working with the right arranger. This is a 1970s classic reborn on vinyl and sounding superb.
