Kenny Drew’s seventh recording as a leader is significant for many reasons, not the least of which that it is one of the finest Blue Note hard bop statements in either of their catalogs. Teamed with rising young star, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, and the wonderful tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley…
Sonny Clark’s fifth Blue Note recording as a leader is generally regarded as his best, especially considering he composed four of the seven tracks, and they all bear his stamp of originality. What is also evident is that he is shaping the sounds of his quintet rather than dominating…
Dial “S” for Sonny, Sonny Clark’s first session for Blue Note Records and his first session as a leader, is a terrific set of laidback bop, highlighted by Clark’s liquid, swinging solos. Clark leads a first-rate group — Art Farmer (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Hank Mobley (tenor sax), Wilbur…
Sonny Clark’s conception of modern jazz is not far removed from his peer group of the late ’50s, in that advanced melodic and harmonic ideas override the basic precepts of swing and simplicity. What sets Clark apart from other jazz pianists lies in his conception of democracy to allow…
Hoping to capture the immediacy and raw energy of one of his live performances, Osby simply placed a mini-disc recorder on a table in front of the bandstand at New York City’s Sweet Basil nightclub. Then he and his explosive young band — and I do mean young; drummer…
Greg Osby, who has recorded in a variety of settings (sometimes using hip-hop rhythms and rap), sticks to acoustic jazz on this relaxed, dry and often melancholy set, performing seven originals and two standards. In addition to the basic quartet/quintet (which sometimes utilizes the vibes of Bryant Carrott), five…
This jazz (as opposed to funk- and rap-oriented) date from altoist Greg Osby has some fine blowing from the leader, trumpeter Tim Hagans, tenor saxophonist Mark Shim and pianist Jason Moran on ten of Osby’s originals and “Tenderly.” The solos are actually much more interesting than the moody but…
There are several problems with this disappointingly lightweight release. Greg Osby chose to mostly feature his anonymous-sounding soprano instead of his much more distinctive alto. The rhythms on the funky grooves are so predictable and insipid that they could have been played by the sidemen in their sleep and…
