The organ lead combo while perhaps not
as popular as the trumpet-sax lead quintet
remains a driving force in the Hard Bop
idiom as well as the Soul-Jazz and later
Funk styles. Jimmy Smith was probably the
best known master of the Hammond B-3, but
there were others equally as qualified.
Charles Earland had one of the most soulful
sounds, whether he was swinging hard, playing
a ballad, or just making some bread playing
smooth jazz. He was also a master communicator.
Just try listening to an album side, and
then read the liner notes. It's amazing
how much of the liner notes you will have
learned just by listening to him speak through
the B-3.
Guitars figure prominently in organ combos,
but in the second set we hear some swinging
guitar across several styles.
Ray Charles is well known to many across
many genres, but one style in which he excelled
and is often overlooked is the big band.
We hear a swinging waltz from Ray with incredibly
tight ensemble work. The man was a musical
genius; there's just no two ways about it.
Sphere was an 1980s ensemble dedicated
to the music of Thelonious Monk, but this
particular outing paid homage to another
be-bop great, Charlie Parker.
Stevie Ray Vaughn's jazz recordings were
few, but there was almost always one cut
on each album that showed his jazz sensibilities.
His homage to Kenny Burrell is apparent
in this recording.
Dexter Gordon never strayed far from
Bebop and Hard Bop, and we hear his classic
sound, which is just as fresh and innovative
today as it was 50 years ago.
In 1978, Freddie Hubbard recorded what
had become a rarity for him, a mostly jazz
album. The title song was an attempt to
bring jazz to a broader audience during
an electro funk disco era. If you can overlook
the very dated electronic keyboard, SuperBlue
in its soul was the music of Freddie's more
straight ahead years. It would have been
great to hear Super Blue recorded in a more
acoustic setting, but to my knowledge, it
never was.
And to close out the session, we hear
one more drivin' tune from the mighty burner,
Charles Earland, a master at kickin' that
B-3.
Jazz in all of its colors... what a palette
from which to paint.
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