Full Length Reviews

Side 1: features the hit "Rehab"; lo-fi drumz, soulful horn swells and strings fill the soundstage. Amy delivers her lyric in a laid back and cool style. "You Know I'm No Good" has a slightly more modern production with a drum beat like some sort of Casio Keyboard astroprojected from the 50's. Saxophones and trumpets drone on with their haunting riff... gin drenched vocal styling portends trouble when you mess with this gal. " Me and Mr. Jones lilts along with brushes on snare drum, background vocals are a throwback to 2 a.m. diner jukebox hits sans greasy fries and stale coffee and cigarettes. Ms. Winehouse's bluesy delivery is the hilight of this short but sweet track. Nice album for a boozy afternoon.

Intensity, dynamics and conviction are some words that can be used to describe Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. While members came and went over the years, Blakey always kept the vibe positive and the truth flowing. From Pittsburgh, PA and born into the depression era, Blakey eventually became an orphan and grew up fast working in coal mines and steel mills while following his musical muse in the evenings playing clubs. He started first on piano, but at the age of 13, he lost his gig playing piano when he was replaced by a young Earl Garner. Not to be left out, Blakey took up the drums and the rest is history. Blakey had said himself that he was self-taught and became proficient because he was fighting to survive. We reap the benefits of his struggle whenever we turn our ears to one of his excellent recordings which are full of life and soul. The Witch Doctor, a re-release by Blue Note is no exception.

“The Witch Doctor” begins with Tenor and trumpet supplying the dark blues riff and is immediately met with percussive jabs from Blakey and the rest of the rhythm section. This minor blues moves quickly into open solo territory with light piano riffing by Bobby Timmons. Wayne Shorter takes a turn on the form exploring the full range of his tenor sax, with long held notes echoing into the darkness toward the end of his ride. Lee Morgan, who penned the song, blows his trumpet through a blues workout showing off his extreme range while keeping the groove tight and laid back. Bobby Timmons gives us some more angular piano ideas bringing back the head of the tune with the horns to finish this easy swinging number full circle. A relaxed opener, for sure.

Immediately launching the listener into new territory, “Afrique” features poly-rhythmic drones and the layered horns performing arpeggiated cyclic ideas which will then explode into a short swing section only to return back to the complex rhythmic "A" section. A low burst of enthusiasm begins Shorter’s tenor ride. Blakey all the while just laying down the thickest shuffle like only he could. The tenor solo is short and sweet and trumpet exploration by Lee Morgan takes the slow hand blues up a notch. Drums becoming stronger and more assertive. We enter a placid lake in the rhythm section as Timmons piano solo gets intellectual and punctuated chordal playing finishes it out. Art takes the last solo section and blasts the right channel in this spread stereo recording with his drums. He then breaks into some melodic tom-tom work where he detunes his drum heads with his elbow and flows back into the head of the tune where we are back in the strange rhythmic undulations and horn blasts. A long fade by Engineer Rudy Van Gelder finishes this complex and avantgarde composition.

Wayne Shorter’s “Those Who Sit and Wait” is a bebop excursion where the members get to flex their chops for the first time in this set. Motif driven soloing by Shorter makes his solo unique with a frenzy of notes and finishes out with full excursion into the range of his tenor from low to high with might. Blakey’s ability to support what is happening and interject his own signature on what is going down is greatly evident during Lee Morgan’s trumpet solo. Blakey pushes the snare drum rhythms and Morgan responds in kind. A great bit of interplay here. The madness continues as Timmons stretches out on a piano tour de force, all the while Blakey pushing the rhythm with his snare drum counter point. Trading fours with explosive drumming absolutely killing the microphones finishes out the solo section. Blakey’s full force drumming is big and bombastic. This tune is a great finish to side one on this re-release from Blue Note Records, a part of their Tone Poet reissue series. The jacket has some great black and whites of the musicians looking young and strong. The session was recorded 1961 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Side two starts out with the swinging A Little Busy with sections of calypso styling thrown in, it’s a rhythmic kaleidoscope and the interplay between this democratic unit of jazz greats is really evident in this grooving monster of a track. Lee Morgan’s ride is a true standout flexing both his blues and great facility for playing a million notes a minute deliciously intertwined into one beautiful ride. You can feel Blakey’s notorious positivity shining through his drumming on this track, a man possessed by what he loves immersed in a groove you just never want to end. A long fade as if this crazy street party will continue on forever if you only choose to follow them.

“Joelle”, penned by Shorter, comes on like a train leaving the station and then takes flight. Dynamics are highlighted in the head of this tune. Jymie Merritt’s bass pushes along the beautiful solo by Morgan on trumpet, as Blakey’s quick one-handed snare rolls underpin the swing. Wayne Shorter takes a pass at the form and continues to abuse the low end of his horn, making it scream and shout as his bluesy lines and familiar two-note motives punctuate. Timmons keeps it cool during his solo section, laid back and sweet. The train returns to the station and then takes off for its next destination.

“Lost and Found” finishes out the album with its opening of tight cornered turns through rhythmic ideas. The first solo is a burning flurry of notes by pianist Timmons. During Shorter’s tenor solo it sounds like Jymie Merritt wants in on the action and pulls at his bass strings harder than in most other parts of this record and propels and awakens the beast in Wayne Shorter, just hiding under the surface for most of this session, but fully unleashed here. Morgan starts his solo trying to reign in the exuberance a bit, but the rhythm section isn’t having it and they push until Morgan relents and goes full on. Trading soloing with Blakey at the end again absolutely blows the recording console into full red level territory.

If you are unfamiliar with the Jazz Messengers, this album will be a great introduction to the intensity of spirit that the group is known for. For long time listeners, this is a great one to revisit. The recording is well done, with the exception of the over modulated drumming at times leading to distortion, though even this can be considered pleasant depending on your mood. The packaging from Blue Note is on point with a wonderful review of the music on the reverse cover by Nat Hentoff. Pick this one up.