Ike Quebec - 1961 - It Might As Well Be Spring

Ike Quebec

1961

It Might As Well Be Spring

01. It Might As Well Be Spring

02. A Light Reprieve

03. Easy - Don't Hurt

04. Lover Man

05. Ol' Man River

06. Willow Weep For Me

Double Bass – Milt Hinton

Drums – Al Harewood

Organ – Freddie Roach

Tenor Saxophone – Ike Quebec

Recorded on December 9, 1961.

“This incontestably superior musician has been almost totally ignored in the chronicling of the musical form to which he has contributed so much. Quebec was a tenor man of the Hawkins school with a big tone and firm, vigorous style. I hope this new perspective of the contribution Ike Quebec has made to jazz will help to bring a little lightness to his soul and much more recognition to his name.” Leonard Feather

An accomplished dancer and pianist, he switched to tenor sax as his primary instrument in his early 20s, and quickly earned a reputation as a promising player. His recording career started in 1940, with the Barons of Rhythm. He recorded or performed with Frankie Newton, Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge, Trummy Young, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins. Between 1944 and 1951, he worked with Cab Calloway. He recorded for Blue Note records in this era, and also served as a talent scout for the label (helping pianists Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell come to wider attention) and, due to his exceptional sight reading skills, was an uncredited impromptu arranger for many Blue Note sessions.

Quebec recorded only sporadically during the 1950s, though he still performed regularly. He kept abreast on new developments in jazz, and his later playing incorporated elements of hard bop and soul jazz.

In 1959 he began what amounted to a comeback with a series of albums on the Blue Note label. Blue Note executive Alfred Lion was always fond of Quebec's music, but was unsure how audiences would respond to the saxophonist after a decade of low visibility. In the mid-to-late 1950s, Blue Note issued a series of Quebec singles for the juke box market; audiences responded well, and this was recently reissued as “The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions.” As strange as it sounds, these cuts are all excellent, as Quebec rose to the occasion and delivered the goods.

Working with the same quartet that cut Heavy Soul -- organist Freddie Roach, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Al Harewood -- Ike Quebec recorded another winning hard bop album with It Might As Well Be Spring. In many ways, the record is a companion piece to Heavy Soul. Since the two albums were recorded so close together, it's not surprising that there a number of stylistic similarities, but there are subtle differences to savor.

The main distinction between the two dates is that It Might As Well Be Spring is a relaxed, romantic date comprised of standards. It provides Quebec with ample opportunity to showcase his rich, lyrical ballad style, and he shines throughout the album. Similarly, Roach has a tasteful, understated technique, whether he's soloing or providing support for Quebec. The pair have a terrific, sympathetic interplay that makes It Might As Well Be Spring a joyous listen.

This is a great album. Ike Quebec is way too underated. He provided a sound that is both rough and sweet, the best of Ben Webster and Lester Young and yet there is a unique sound of his own,a yawp that had the emotion of Coltrane but could bend back into the lyric.There was a hint in this music of styles yet to come. His choice of material here is as always impeccable. There is so little of Ike that I beg for an RVG edition of Blue & Sentimental and Soul Samba.