Funky Leroy Emerges

This weekend I had two DJ gigs and I am really starting to love to put smiles on peoples faces, bounces in people step, and making people out right dance. It excites me that I can bring a style of music that people might not enjoy usually, but when I throw it out there, it brings joy to them. Funky Leroy won't go away he just got started.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

I wandered up to Rock Island Illinois to see Karl Denson this weekend. Karl with his work with Lenny Kravitz, Greyboy Allstars, and now with his Tiny Universe have been a staple in the revitalization of funk and groove today. I was intrigued as the band has been on hiatus for about five years. Alot has happened to the genre in that time.
Karl has put out a new album that is more filled with heart lyrics than the complex musical arrangements and continuous grooves and jams as before. The crowd was small and unaware of the popularity of the band that stood before them once had. They snickered as I told them I made the trip from St Louis to experience the band.
The music was great but was going in such a different direction. They played a few instrumental favorites, but they were sandwiched in between some neo soul like pieces. Some with somewhat dark tones to the lyrics. As I enjoyed myself, I wondered if this type of music that years ago made me truly become passionate about music has changed. Then again look at the world,and I guess this effects us all.

Dexter Gordan Go!

Dexter puts himself in front of a quartet in this 1962 recording. He show the world why you need to talk about Dexter Gordan when mentioning the best tenor saxophone players on the scene.
The four waste no time and give you some cheese cake. I do not know where the title comes from but the tune is nothing but sweet and good. From the get go you have know doubts who is the leader.
Dexter loves ballads and I guess I will hang my tears out to dry is no exception. He truly uses his instrument to sing to us at times. This gives us a almost duo personality as the sax singer and the sax instrument Dexter Gordan.
At seven minutes long Second Balcony Jump takes a minute or two to get into. Dexter bops around and makes the tune enjoyable.
Love for Sale has a latin feel and grabs you from the first notes. He finds the in between of the singy and pure playing styles. Sonny Clark does a good job on piano but I get a reserved feeling in solos.
Where are you is another ballad that is slow and not that interesting.
Dexter finishes with three in the morning a fun little tune. I feel alot of the tracks on this album Dexter could use a little more help from his band but they attempt more to keep out of the way.

I rate this album 3.5 stars

Dexter Gordan Clubhouse

This recording from 1965 was recorded in the time period Dexter was living in Europe. I had to check the date twice because the recording has such a feel of Blue Note recordings of about five or six years earlier. This is bop at the finest
The session starts out with the straight forward Hanky Panky. Freddie Hubbard accompanies Gordan on the album playing trumpet. I feel that the two horns are very well suited for each other and the styles mesh like a romantic dance. I'm a Fool to Want you is a bit slow and long. The title cut Clubhouse hits stride, and the bouncing beat of the rythmn section of Bob Cranshaw and Billy Higgins is felt.
Lady Iris B is a slow tune but Dexter's tone sings like a beautiful woman's voice, and makes you want to turn the lights low and open the red wine.
The album finishes with Jodi, a jumping little tune. Dexter once again inpresses me with his delightful playing. Hubbard seems comfortable in his solo's following Dexter, and keeps up with the pace and tone of the piece perfectly. Barry Harris on piano never blows me a way but does a good job in the middle blending the rhytmn and horn sections.
I give this album 3.5 stars

Hank Mobley A Slice of the Top

This is probably one of the first Hank Mobley albums that I have given a serious listen to. The first two track are very straight ahead and kinda what I expected. Cute N' Pretty although light and swinging delivers. Kiane Zawadi on euphonium and Howard Johnson on tuba build a thick bass line behind Bob Crensaw on bass and McCoy Tyner's left hand. Lee Morgan struts his stuff and show why he is always mention when talking about trumpet players in this era. Mobley is more of the morter in the mix holding everything together. The arranging by Duke Pearson is great giving structure but not getting away from the Blue Note feel.
A touch of the Blues really showcases Mobley and his mellow, yet wonderful tone. The blues of the piece fits him well. Morgan plays with the rest of the horn line in an almost dance. The rhytmn section of Billy Higgins, Cranshaw, and Tyner holds everything together beautifully as Mobley belt his heart out. Tyner really shows up and Mobley exploits his versatility.
The title cut A slice of the top falls back to a mellow mood, and a slightly eastern sound. One of the four tracks Mobley writes on the album which is impressive. Hank finally takes charge of the band and feels that roll as leader.
After some reasearch I found out that this album was not released until 1979 which shocked me. At times listening to this album you forget that Hank Mobley is the leader and you think this might be an Lee Morgan album. I give this album 4 stars,

Art Blakey Free For All

The album comes out swinging with the title track Free for All. Wayne Shorter takes no time to let you know that he is playing his tenor sax on the album with heavy weight lines. The first solo was so bold I wondered what was to expect. The playing is some of the most gutsy and heavy lines that I have heard on a Blue Note hard bop album. Freddie Hubbard's trumpet playing is great as expected, but it seems a little distant from the tone Shorter has set. Curtis Fuller is on trombone and although consistent as always he seems to lack the punch that the set requires. Art Blakey is never outdone by the youngsters in front of him. He blisters the skins and thoroughly impresses. There is a reason that he is known as one of the best drummers ever.
The second track, Hammer Head is trying to be as heavy as the opener but it cannot quite get there. I think that is was only second on the album due to time issues.
Freddie Hubbard writes the first track on the b side and you can tell the different directions he and Shorter are going. This was the last album that they play together with Blakey on Blue Note.
The last track, Pensativa, is the light and soft track that end the album in a decresendo.
All and all the album is a good representation of hard bop, and what is to come from the blossoming musicians. I was happy with the performance and give it 3.5 stars.

There are still good one to be found out there

After a lovely morning running around for my boss, and chasing down my medication that comes from a specialty pharmacist overnight because they did not change my address as promised. I needed to go to the record store. I ventured in a store that recently have wrote off yet I was in the neighborhood and in a foul mood anyway. They do have a new released section which is a nice thing if you don't go there that often(they don't file records that often there). I thumbed my way through Soul first with little to no luck. I then tackled jazz next. The largest section close tie to Rock. I saw many of the standards, and a few rarities. Sometimes the fill the racks with autographed, touched, and sneezed on copies and charge astronomical prices for them.

I had high hopes with 6 or so albums to listen to. A few decent but over priced including a copy of Lonnie Liston Smith's Cosmic Funk and a obscure copy of Monk Montgomery's( Wes's Oldest brother and bassist of the Mastersounds) Bass Odyssey. This album caught me but it was a little pricey. It was well done and something different. It was on Hugh Masakela's Chisa label, and was full of Crusaders. Joe Sample and keys, Wayne Henderson producing and playing drums , Stix Hooper playing some skins too. I had to pass at the 20+ price tag. The album I was excited to find was Johnny "Hammond"Smith's Soul Talk on Prestige. Although not his best the title track was worth every penny. It has the classic lineup of Smith on organ, Rusty bryant on sax, the little known but solid Wally Richardson on guitar, the unknown to to Bob Bushnell on Fender bass, and the immortal Bernard Purdie going to town on drums. Although not in perfect condition is was well worth the 10 bucks that took it home. I also picked up a copy of Red Clay for 5 dollars for my friend Walker's birthday which is another good album but not quite Straight Life from Freddie Hubbard on CTI.


My favorite Johnny "Hammond" Smith album that I own is Black Feeling!. Although critics say that Soul Talk is better, if you dig on the funky soul jazz Black Feeling is a better choice.