AL COHN & BILLY MITCHELL - Night Flight To Dakar & Xanadu In Africa
Xanadu Master Edition 906075 (2 CD set)
CD One
Night Flight To Dakar
Al Cohn ( tnr ) Billy Mitchell ( tnr ) Dolo Coker ( pno ) Leroy Vinnegar ( bass ) Frank Butler ( drs )
Tracks 1 to 4, Recorded at the Theatre Nationale Daniel Sorrano, , in Dakar, Senegal, 19th March 1980
Track 5 Recorded at Club Taski, Les Aimadies, Dakar, Senegal, 14th March 1980
CD Two
Xanadu in Africa
Personnel as Night Flight to Dakar
Recorded at same location & Date as track 5 of CD One
Along with Zoot Sims and Stan Getz, Al Cohn is one of the best of the Post Lester Young tenor players, he served his time in big bands of which is spell with the Woody Herman Four Brothers band is probably best known where he took over the chair vacated by Herbie Steward.
He took a break from playing whilst he concentrated on his compositional and arranging skills before resuming his playing career.
Billy Mitchell also served his time in big bands before fronting his own group in Detroit. He resumed his big band career in 1958 joining the Dizzy Gillespie band before taking the eddie ‘lockjaw’ daavis place in the Count Basie Orchestra.
In the Mid Sixties he changed direction and became the Musical Director for Stevie Wonder. After he became busy with educational seminars and workshops before returning to the jazz field.
These two CDs were recorded live in West Africa and it was the Xanadu record label who decided to take jazz back to it’s roots in Africa and it’s natural rhythms that were the basis of thee music.
The same personnel is present on both CDs there is a slight booming echo on CD One which is probably due to the acoustics in the concert hall but does not distort the music.
It is easy to distinguish between the two tenor players as Billy Mitchell has a slightly lighter toner whereas Al Cohn’s is much darker but both players create a great deal of swing. All the numbers on the album are well tried standards apart from a couple of originals, one by pianist Dolo Coker, “Night Flight To Dakar” nad on by Bill Mitchell, Sweet Sengelese Brown”.
“Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” is given over to pianist Dolo Coker who makes a splendid job and brings out the best in the ballad.
As usual “Blues Up and Down” is taken at a frantic pace and Al Cohn is more articulate at this tempo, drummer Frank Butler makes a great deal of noise bu fails to swing and is something of a relief when it is time for Dolo Coker to solo.
The sound quality on CD Two are much better and probably due to he venue and the opening number “All Or Nothing At All” has solos from both tenor players contribute much more considered solos.
“Robbins Nest” is a more relaxed track and the rhythm section achieve a nice groove with bassist Leroy Vinnegar driving it along.
The Ballad “I Surrender Dear” brings out the best in Al Cohn and Dolo Coker’s solo is a model of good taste.
Billy Mitchell gets his chance to shine on the ballad “Easy Living” which is fine but he lacks the passion of Al Cohn.
Whether two CDs of of a tenor duo is too much of a good thing depends on what the listener enjoys and this release suffers thee pitfalls of live performance where tempos are increased to become crowd pleasers but none the less there are some good tenor solos to be gleaned from this release.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Xanadu Master Edition 906075 (2 CD set)
CD One
Night Flight To Dakar
Al Cohn ( tnr ) Billy Mitchell ( tnr ) Dolo Coker ( pno ) Leroy Vinnegar ( bass ) Frank Butler ( drs )
Tracks 1 to 4, Recorded at the Theatre Nationale Daniel Sorrano, , in Dakar, Senegal, 19th March 1980
Track 5 Recorded at Club Taski, Les Aimadies, Dakar, Senegal, 14th March 1980
CD Two
Xanadu in Africa
Personnel as Night Flight to Dakar
Recorded at same location & Date as track 5 of CD One
Along with Zoot Sims and Stan Getz, Al Cohn is one of the best of the Post Lester Young tenor players, he served his time in big bands of which is spell with the Woody Herman Four Brothers band is probably best known where he took over the chair vacated by Herbie Steward.
He took a break from playing whilst he concentrated on his compositional and arranging skills before resuming his playing career.
Billy Mitchell also served his time in big bands before fronting his own group in Detroit. He resumed his big band career in 1958 joining the Dizzy Gillespie band before taking the eddie ‘lockjaw’ daavis place in the Count Basie Orchestra.
In the Mid Sixties he changed direction and became the Musical Director for Stevie Wonder. After he became busy with educational seminars and workshops before returning to the jazz field.
These two CDs were recorded live in West Africa and it was the Xanadu record label who decided to take jazz back to it’s roots in Africa and it’s natural rhythms that were the basis of thee music.
The same personnel is present on both CDs there is a slight booming echo on CD One which is probably due to the acoustics in the concert hall but does not distort the music.
It is easy to distinguish between the two tenor players as Billy Mitchell has a slightly lighter toner whereas Al Cohn’s is much darker but both players create a great deal of swing. All the numbers on the album are well tried standards apart from a couple of originals, one by pianist Dolo Coker, “Night Flight To Dakar” nad on by Bill Mitchell, Sweet Sengelese Brown”.
“Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” is given over to pianist Dolo Coker who makes a splendid job and brings out the best in the ballad.
As usual “Blues Up and Down” is taken at a frantic pace and Al Cohn is more articulate at this tempo, drummer Frank Butler makes a great deal of noise bu fails to swing and is something of a relief when it is time for Dolo Coker to solo.
The sound quality on CD Two are much better and probably due to he venue and the opening number “All Or Nothing At All” has solos from both tenor players contribute much more considered solos.
“Robbins Nest” is a more relaxed track and the rhythm section achieve a nice groove with bassist Leroy Vinnegar driving it along.
The Ballad “I Surrender Dear” brings out the best in Al Cohn and Dolo Coker’s solo is a model of good taste.
Billy Mitchell gets his chance to shine on the ballad “Easy Living” which is fine but he lacks the passion of Al Cohn.
Whether two CDs of of a tenor duo is too much of a good thing depends on what the listener enjoys and this release suffers thee pitfalls of live performance where tempos are increased to become crowd pleasers but none the less there are some good tenor solos to be gleaned from this release.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
