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Review 1
Why can’t jazz trombone get no respect? Fans tend to glorify trumpets (loud, up-front, Gabriel, take-charge leader personalities) and saxophones (fluid, ‘vocal’, sexy, slick), bypassing the good old sackbut, which must play deep third fiddle among the horns. It took J.J. Johnson’s truly ‘eminent’ musicianship and awesome technical abilities to get him his initial nod from those who vote in jazz polls as the lone ranger of bebop trombone. After that, the Indianapolis flyer stayed atop the heap for four decades. J.J.’s Blue Note debut (6/53) does show his machine-gun wizardry on “Capri” (lightning arpeggios), but equally impressive is his robust solo balladry on “Lover Man” and “It Could Happen To You,” and perhaps best of all, his potent arranging skills on “Lover Man”, “Get Happy”, and “Turnpike.” These 4-minute tracks are not ‘blowing sessions’ but hand-crafted arrangements with written intros, smartly-voiced ensembles, and 1-2 chorus solos of persuasive punch tucked in the middle. With J.J. are the ever-magnificent Clifford Brown on trumpet, ¾ of the original Modern Jazz Quartet (John Lewis, piano, Kenny Clarke, drums, and Percy Heath, bass) and the latter’s brother, the orotund Jimmy on tenor sax. Brown is simply bitchin’ on both takes of “Get Happy” and eye-opening when muted over ensemble bombs on Lewis’ “Sketch 1”. Lewis is charmingly lyrical on every solo. Clarke – cymbals a-sizzle on “Turnpike” and “Get Happy” -- shows why he was so missed when he soon thereafter took up permanent residence in Europe. This one’s a shortie (38 minutes) but it’s hot and tight. |
Players
Clifford Brown : Trumpet
Jimmy Heath : Brass, Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
John Lewis : Piano
Percy Heath : Bass
Kenny Clarke : Drums |
Tracks
1. Capri
2. Capri
3. Lover Man
4. Turnpike
5. Turnpike (Alternate Take)
6. Sketch 1
7. It Could Happen To You
8. Get Happy
9. Get Happy (Alternate Take) |
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